Reflections
by Catsafari
Summary: Two young women separated by class find themselves involved in a swap. There was only one rule Haru had been given: under no circumstances was she to agree to any matchmaking schemes... AU.
1. Worlds Apart

**A/N: With the exception of _A Little Ballerina_ (which was technically written after this) this is my first attempt to write a TCR twist on an old classic and not on a ballet/fairytale/folklore. This is also the first story where I've played around with a new pairing (although the main will still be Haru/Baron) so read, enjoy, and leave a little review at the end.**

**Many thanks,**

**Cat.**

**ooOoo**

Chapter 1: Worlds Apart

"Milady, your mother is waiting for you in the lounge!"

"Hang on!" The young blonde stepped in front of the mirror to admire her hard work once more. Tilting her head, she straightened the wide-brimmed hat so that it partially covered her face. She spun round on the spot to grin at her handmaid. "How do I look, Yuki?"

The smaller blonde just smiled. "As beautiful as always, Milady."

"Milady, your mother is becoming impatient!"

"Alright, Toto! Alright!" The young woman sighed and gave her dress one last smooth-down. "I'm coming." With one hand automatically moving to her hat, she moved out to the corridor. "I'm coming, Toto."

Outside her room, waiting impatiently was a young dark-haired man. At her appearance though, the impatient look fell from his face. "Louise, you look..."

"Like a lady, I know. Isn't it terrible?"

"Actually I was going to say amazing."

"It's just a shame I've got to look like a lady for the _Marquis de pomp-and-circumstance_..."

Behind her, Yuki giggled as she closed the door. "Really, Miss, you shouldn't talk about the Marquis like that. Your mother wouldn't approve."

"My mother didn't approve of the spaghetti trick that I pulled on the Earl either, but that didn't stop me."

A high-pitched shout was fretfully emitted from the floor below. "Louise!"

Louise sighed. "Talk of the devil. We better get going; Mother's reaching her hysterical stage."

"That's what I've been saying for the last five minutes."

"Thanks Toto," she replied flatly before making her way downstairs.

"Louise!"

"_Coming_, mother!" She arrived at the aforementioned lounge, with her flyaway blonde hair falling perfectly into place behind her, her two companions following behind. The lounge already contained two occupants; one lady with a face and hair that matched her daughter's, decked out in an expensive looking dress. The other was a young man decked out in equally elaborate clothing.

Louise tried – and probably failed – to hide her distaste.

"Oh, there you are, Louise. The Marquis de Roche is looking forward to the trip into town today. Aren't you, Richard?"

"I'm sure I will enjoy a tour of this quaint little town with such a beautiful escort," the young man simpered, getting to his feet and kissing Louise's hand.

The blonde made an expression of mild revulsion that the Marquis missed, but that the rest caught. "Pleasure," she lied tightly.

As always, whenever she was presented with a new suitor, a plan began to form in her mind.

"In fact, I think I know exactly where I should show you first."

Her mother caught the sly note carefully disguised in Louise's voice.

"Darling, do you think I should come along as well...?"

"I'll have my consort, Toto, and my maid, Yuki, mother," her daughter replied sweetly. "Anyway, I'm sure _Richie_ would like it to be as personal as possible."

The young noble grinned at the lady foolishly. "As you wish."

"See?"

Elizabeth DuBois looked from her daughter to the Marquis, unwilling to make a fuss before the possible suitor. The smile she gave her daughter was as faked as Louise's. "Of course. But, _darling_, a word before you leave..."

"Certainly. Richie, go and get your coat and shoes; we'll be leaving as soon as we're finished here." Louise allowed her mother to lead her into the next room, giving a simpering smile to the young man as she exited. She kept the smile up as she turned to her mother. "What is it this time?"

"Whatever you're thinking of doing to scare him away; don't."

Louise looked up with wide, blue innocent eyes. "Why would I do anything to scare him away? He looks like a perfectly reasonable young man."

"I'm asking the very same question, and yet you still go through suitors like they grow on trees!"

"Well, there are a lot of empty-headed nobles around; I doubt I'm going to get through all of them unless I up my pace..." she mused, her eyes sparkling now with humour.

"This is not a joke, young lady. You need to stop this... _this game_ of yours and start thinking seriously about finding a husband! How many suitors have you gone through now? Eighteen?"

"Nineteen," Louise corrected idly.

"You're not doing any favours for yourself, young lady. Word is beginning to get out that I've raised a daughter incapable of keeping a suitor for more than a week."

"Maybe I've just got a mother who's incapable of picking guys with a brain..."

"That Count was intelligent. He had extensive knowledge about architecture..."

Louise rolled her eyes. "Mother, I'm not going to marry a guy who thinks that boring a girl to death about key stones and foundations is flirting. Thanks to him, I know more than I ever want to on the subject. Although," she added, smiling to herself, "it was useful in making up a story about how the house was prone to collapse at any moment. He was out of there pretty quick after that..."

Elizabeth clenched her mouth shut; afraid that she was going to shout if she tried to speak. Grimly, she said, "Alright, go and take the Marquis on the trip round the town. Don't scare him off."

Louise grinned wickedly. "Would I ever?"

Before her mother could answer (probably in the affirmative) Louise moved to the hallway, where the other three were waiting.

"Thanks for being so patient everybody," she thanked sweetly.

"Anything for a beautiful lady," gushed the young noble. "I wouldn't miss this outing for the world."

Louise smirked. "Oh, I promise you that you won't forget today for a long while yet..."

ooOoo

"Haru, are you ready with those sponge cakes?"

"Yeah, Mr Cesari. I'm just getting them from the ovens." A young brunette, with her hair tied back and oven gloves muffling her hands, retrieved a tray from one of the bakery's extensive ovens. Carefully balancing it so not to burn herself, she blew a stray hair out of her face and headed to the front of the shop. She was quite slim and pretty – in a practical sort of way.

"Hi, Haru. I'll take those." One of the other workers came up to her – a blonde girl by the name of Lettie – and collected the cakes.

"How are things selling?"

"Very well indeed actually. Oh, and your friend – Hiromi – has come round. I asked her to wait in the storage room while I fetched you."

"Oh. Thank you." Wondering what her friend would want, Haru hurried to the storage room, sidestepping round the counter and slipping into the cluttered room.

"Hiromi? What are you doing here in work hours? Shouldn't you be at your mum's shop?"

"Actually, I was wondering whether you could fill in for an absent worker tomorrow," the lighter brunette said eagerly.

"Hiromi... you know Sundays are my only free day..."

"It'd just be for half the day!" Hiromi added. "_Please_? Clara had to pull out because her younger sister has caught something nasty and she needs to stay home to look after her. We'll pay and we're already down to minimal staff because Miss Anya is off getting married and Tony has moved out to the next town..."

Haru didn't look too happy. "I don't know. The past week has really put a strain on me and I was kind of needing the rest..." The rest of her tired protests trailed off. "Oh, for goodness sake, yes I will fill in. Hiromi, stop with the puppy eyes already! But you owe me one, alright?"

"Yeah, sure. You're the best, Haru!"

Haru was given a quick hug from her friend before Hiromi skipped out of the room. Haru was left alone sitting on one of the boxes, rubbing a hand over her eyes. "You're welcome."

The other worker peered in – the same one as last time. "Are you alright, Haru?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." The brunette stretched and got to her feet. "Just a little tired, that's all."

"You look like you could have some time off. What about if you leave early today?"

"Really, Lettie? I couldn't do that. Cesari pays me to be here from seven to–"

"I can handle everything. Haru, I insist. You look dead on your feet. If I let you carry on, you'll probably accidently set fire to the shop anyway. And that would definitely spoil Mr Cesari's mood."

Haru laughed lightly. "Yeah, probably. Thanks, Lettie. I owe you a favour."

"Don't mention it. You've played the Good Samaritan quite enough times for the rest of us. Now go."

"Okay, okay, I'm going. Are you sure you can handle...?"

"Of course I am, otherwise I wouldn't have offered. Now are you going to go, or am I going to have to haul you out myself?"

Haru moved to the door. "I'm going already. I'll see you on Monday."

"Get some rest!"

Haru chuckled as she exited the bakery. "I'll try." She gave a last wave of thanks before heading down the cobbled road and pulling her cloak close around her. Summer may have arrived, but that didn't stop the thunderstorms from occurring. And if she wanted to get home before the rain started, she would have to hurry. As she hastened along the road, the clean shops of the highway gave way to smaller buildings, which then dissolved into squat houses that crouched on the uneven path. Dank and gloomy, these buildings contained none of the openness of the previous buildings; this area was a blot on the town map. No one of any importance came here if they could help it...

Haru paused as she saw four silhouettes making their way down the pothole-ridden road. Haru made to move out of sight – being caught on her own in the street was never a good idea around there – but then saw that they looked like nobility. She still made to move out of the way, but one of their company – a young lady – saw her and moved to intercept her. The lady was talking animatedly to one of her companions, a young man a few years her senior.

"–and you wouldn't believe the crime rates around here," the lady gushed, throwing her hands up in the air for dramatic emphasis. And I don't just mean here, I mean all over the town."

"Everywhere?" her well-dressed companion asked timidly.

"Oh, yes," asserted the lady. "I mean, you could ask anyone and they would tell you all about it... Take this young woman for example..."

To Haru's surprise, the lady grabbed her wrist, somewhat dragging her into the discussion.

"How high would you say the crime rates are around here?" Haru felt the cold touch of a coin being pressed into her hand. "Exceptionally high, aren't they?"

There was subtle pleading in her expression for Haru to play along.

"Um... yeah, I suppose."

"See?" The lady turned to the young man. "I mean, the worst thing is that you have to go through this area every time you want to get from one place to another. Utter nightmare. I always need a consort whenever I go out of the house for reasons of safety, and this is a good time of the year!"

"It... is...?"

"Uh-huh." The young lady was on a roll. "And for the fair that's happening in a week or so, they've cleared the area up. Usually it'd be much worse than this!"

"It is?" squeaked her companion.

Laughing quietly to herself, Haru pulled the cloak close around her and left the lady and her poor suitor (and the other two) to their own business. She came to one of the run-down houses on the side of the street and let herself in.

"Mum? Mum?"

"Here. You're back early."

"Lettie gave me some extra time off." Hanging her cloak up, Haru moved across the three-roomed house and dropped the coin into a box in the corner of their shared bedroom. "Oh, and Hiromi's asked me to help at her mother's shop tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? But that's your only day off..."

"I know. Believe me, I know. But every penny helps." Haru kicked her shoes into the corner by the door and entered the room that tripled as lounge, kitchen and dining room. Across the room was strewn quilting materials; patches, patterns and new patterns in the process of being planned out. Several other materials for other craft creations hung about the room; a second- (or possibly third- or fourth-) hand spinning wheel was set up like a skeleton shadow beside the table and several threads pushed into convenient corners and gaps of the room.

"Haru, you're always taking on odd jobs in addition to your work at the bakery; you're going to burn yourself out anytime soon..."

"Mum, I'm fine."

Her mother, who was sitting at the table, leant back to get a better look at her daughter. "Uh-huh? So why did Lettie send you back early?"

"Perhaps because she feels she owes me?"

"Perhaps you should start to take things easy..."

"I can manage, mum. I always have, haven't I?"

"I'm just worried that you're working yourself too hard..."

Haru smiled tiredly and hugged her mother. "I just... don't want to spend the rest of my life here... I want to be able to see the world and travel–!"

Naoko laughed. "You and your big plans."

"It's why I work so hard. You know that."

"Yeah, I do. If it were down to hard work alone, you'd be earning more than all those pompous nobles put together."

Haru's smile tempered slightly. "Yeah, but unfortunately life isn't that fair. I live in hope though."

"That's true." The redhead hugged her daughter again. "Don't ever lose hope. You deserve some luck."

The brunette just laughed in response. "Luck? Don't make me laugh. What lucky happenstance could change my life around?"

**ooOoo**

**A/N: Firstly, I apologise for the double-A/N plaguing this chapter, but I just wish to warn you that I am currently suffering under exam stress (as a few, _unfortunate,_ reviewers can probably attest) so any review replies may be late/absent/written in a sugar rush and I wholly apologise for that now.**

**Also, I feel the need to express a _HUGH _thank you to whomever recommended me on the TvTropes page - I don't know how long ago that was, but it was a fantastic pick-up from the pre-exam cramming and has utterly made my day. **


	2. The Swap

Chapter 2: The Swap

Elizabeth DuBois was not amused. No, not amused _in the least_.

"Twenty suitors now! _Twenty_! Louise, I am beginning to despair with you!"

"Finally," Louise muttered.

"None of your smart remarks, please! Louise, what am I going to do with you...?"

"Give me some peace?"

"This is not a laughing matter. Oh, if only your father was around to talk some sense into you! Charles always knows what to say..."

"Daddy understands my reluctance in being forced into marriage; something I thank him for. Which is more than I can say for you." An irritated expression passed over Louise's face. "If Daddy was back from his business trip, he'd be talking sense into _you_, not me."

"I give up! You, young lady, are pushing your luck too far! In future, you will have to put up with each new suitor for at least a week before scaring them off."

"Oh yay, that means that it'd only take half a year before I get through another twenty suitors. That's assuming that you get another poor, clueless block straight after the last one."

Elizabeth glowered at her daughter. "It's funny you should mention that..."

"Oh?" Louise grimaced. "Don't say you've already found someone else... How is that even possible? The Marquis only declared his intentions of leaving yesterday afternoon!" And despite the situation, it brought a grin to Louise's face to think of the distressed manner in which the young noble had left.

"While you were off terrifying the nobility, I went into town for some of my beauty supplies. That reminds me – since you're going into town today, could you pick them up? Normal stuff, normal suppliers. Anyway, I met an old friend who has a son around your age. The son's a few years older, not much. I asked whether the son could come around this evening and stay for a while, anticipating the likelihood that you had already accomplished in frightening off your most recent victim."

"Oh no, oh _no_; you can_not_ have already found a replacement for the Marquis."

"Too late. And if you are going off into town, don't forget my supplies."

Louise growled and stormed out of the room. "Fine. _Fine_. But don't expect me to fall for this one."

"Who says you need to fall for him? Just marrying him would do fine."

Louise's face turned sour as she stormed to the hallway of the manor. "Grab a cloak and some shoes, you two; we're heading into town."

Toto and Yuki started after the lady.

"Milady, how did the meeting with your mother go?"

"She's trying to set me up with someone new this evening, Toto. Can you _believe_ it?"

"Actually... considering your mother... I _can_..."

Louise huffed as she clipped her cloak on. "Admittedly, so can I. It's not helping my mood though."

"Who is the new gentleman, Miss?"

"I have no clue. Probably some pampered mother's boy from the city. I don't know, and I really don't care."

"She was really annoyed about the Marquis's abrupt departure though. I think she was hoping that you'd accept him."

"_Please_? That spoilt boy? He didn't like taking a stroll into town for fear of getting his shoes dirty. Anyway, he was way too easy to scare off. All I needed to do was exaggerate wildly about the mess of this town and I knew he wasn't going to stay for much longer."

Now out in the fresh air, they headed to the high street, making their way past stalls and sellers along the road.

"Sooner or later though, Miss, your mother is going to lose her patience," Yuki said mildly.

"She's certainly lost all sense."

"Miss, what do you plan to do when she grows impatient?"

"You won't let her force you into a marriage, will you?" Toto asked suddenly.

Louise stopped and looked over at her consort. "Toto, you've known me a long time. Am I the type of girl to allow myself to be forced into a marriage?"

"No, Milady."

"Exactly. Stop worrying. I have nothing against getting married. I just have everything against the 'suitable' bachelors Mother is throwing at me and the manner at which she is doing so." Louise continued to make a face as she entered a dainty shop along the street. The bell tinkled as she opened the door and made her way to the counter. The wooden surface held a large mirror that sent Louise staring back at herself. Along the shelves natural beauty products sat smugly with their various creams and solutions.

"Hello? I'm picking up an order my mother placed yesterday? It's under the name of Elizabeth DuBois."

The girl behind the counter – a short brunette – grinned, leaning on the wooden surface. "Yep, we have it. Just give us a moment while we find it. Hang on." She peered into another room, one that looked like a storage room, and bellowed, "Haru! Can you get the box marked 'DuBois'?"

From inside the room, another voice replied with, "I would, but someone's had fun with the alphabetical system! Hiromi, who organises this stuff?"

"Um, Tony used to, but since he's left it's all gone to pot."

"Oh _great_."

The girl grinned again to her customers, but a little more nervous than last time. "Would you just excuse me?" Without waiting for an answer, she slipped into the next room, where a whispered – but still perfectly audible – conversation was taking place.

"It's not where it should be."

"What do you mean we've lost it?"

"I didn't say we've lost it; I just said it wasn't where it should be."

"Isn't that the same as losing it?"

"Alright, wise-mouth. Look – there's the 'D' section, and it's empty."

"Haru, these are important, well-off customers; we can't afford to lose them..."

"Important or not – the fact remains that it's not there. Unless... Hang on..." There was a scuffling. "Yep, someone put it under 'B'. Idiot. Can you hand me that chair? I can't reach it."

"Okay, but be careful."

Some mildly hysterical laughter ensued after that comment.

Louise glanced to her escort and her maid with a mildly amused expression as they waited for the shop girl to return with the produce. Life in the town was as busy as usual.

In the room beyond, the other voice made a comment to the light brunette; neither of whom could be seen to the customers.

"You know me, Hiromi. 'Careful' is not my thing. I'll just..."

There was half a screech, followed by two thumps – one of a wooden chair hitting stony floor; the other of a body following shortly after.

"Haru?"

Without thinking, Louise moved into the next room; her two companions following after. "Is everything okay in here? It sounded like one of you fell..."

Another girl was picking herself off the floor, covered from head to shoulders in a yellowy-blonde substance. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks. My dress is ruined with some dye of some sort, but I'm none the worse."

"Oh, Haru," Hiromi sighed, shaking her head. "I _told_ you to be careful."

"Uh-huh. Like that's ever helped." The drenched girl gave up trying to smear herself clean of the dye and just handed a box over to Louise. "Here – I don't think anything's broken. Fortunately."

"Um... thank you."

Haru smiled weakly. "It's fine." She waited for the lady to move away with the other two, but none of them made a move to do any such thing. "Really, it's fine," she repeated, thinking that their hesitance to leave was to do with her accident.

"Louise," the dark-haired man beside the lady said slowly, tapping at her shoulder. "She looks just like..."

"I know."

Haru was beginning to become unnerved by the stares. "What? I said I was fine. What is it?"

"I'll go get a mirror," Hiromi said quietly.

Haru laughed. "I don't get what the big fuss is. I'm quite the klutz normally; seriously, ask anyone who knows me. Admittedly, this is the first time I've got myself covered in hair dye, but there's a first time for everything, I suppose..." She trailed off, her uncertainty growing. "Look, I don't know what the problem is, but could you stop staring?"

Her friend entered back with the mirror off the counter. "Take a look."

Haru gazed at her reflection. Her hair now looked distinctly blonde, as did the top of her dress and shoulders. "Um... nope. Still not getting it."

Hiromi huffed and dragged Haru to stand looking at Louise. She placed the mirror beside Louise's head so that when Haru looked into it, the lady's head and her own reflection were side by side. A sharp intake of breath indicated that she now saw it.

"No... No _way_..."

"You can't deny it, Haru. You two could be twins."

"Yeah, if my hair was blonde and my eyes were blue and I were a little taller," Haru reminded them sceptically. "But I'm not, so we only have the same face as things stand."

"Well, you've already fixed the hair colour thing, and my mum's got a potion that would change your eyes..."

"You do?" The young lady had suddenly spoken up. "How long do the effects last?"

"Twenty-four hours, give or take."

"And would it work to make someone's eyes brown?"

"I suppose so."

"What about a brown dye for the hair?"

"Yes, we have some of that too."

Toto shifted from foot-to-foot uncomfortably, familiar with the eccentric gleam in the blonde's gaze. "Milady, what exactly are you thinking of?"

"Oh, nothing."

"If you'll pardon me for being so frank, but it doesn't sound like 'nothing' to me."

Louise lost all show of subtlety and appealed to her consort. "Oh, take a look at the opportunity fate has thrown into our laps, Toto! What are the chances of this happening? And you want me to just let it walk by? I've spent my entire life under the reign of my mother – perhaps some freedom is just what I need."

"Milady, you cannot be serious."

Louise looked offended. "I've never been more serious in my life."

"Swap places? You want to leave the safety of the DuBois manner for a little _freedom_?"

Haru took the moment to interrupt. "Sorry for breaking this up, but _what_?"

Louise turned on the once-brunette. "I don't mean swapping places permanently! Just for a week or so!"

"I don't get it. Why would you want to swap places with _me_, however temporary?"

"Overbearing mother, horrid line of suitors begging for her hand in marriage," the maid beside her listed. "Unable to leave the manor without Toto and me..."

"A nice home," Haru combated. "Food provided, probably by experienced cooks. Servants to wait on you hand and foot. No expectation to work for a living..."

"I just need some time away from it all," Louise broke in fervently.

"I live in a three-room house," Haru replied bluntly. "I work six – sometimes seven – days a week. The kitchen is usually supplied with only the bare necessities. My home is in a dingy street that no one of importance will go down willingly."

"It'll be an adventure."

"You're... not going to give up on this idea, are you?"

Louise shook her head vehemently. "Not on your life."

"I mean, even if... even if I _did_ agree to this... mad scheme... who is to say it'd even work? Yes, our faces are essentially the same and our voices do bear similarities, but what about the other differences? For one, you're taller than me."

"I agree," Toto put in quickly. "Milady, put this insanity out of your mind–"

"We've already established that the hair and eyes can be dealt with and as for the height difference..." The blonde leant over and slipped her shoes off. Suddenly she was meeting Haru eye-to-eye. "The high-heels make me look taller than I am – we're pretty much the same height without them."

"Okay, the physical differences are all very well and good, but what about everything else? I don't know everything you do and I act differently. How am I going to be able to convince everyone I'm you?"

"I can fill you in on the main details, and Toto and Yuki will make sure you don't make too big a fool out of yourself – or me, whatever."

"This is madness," Toto vented. "She'll never be able to pull it off and what about you? How are you going to pose as her?"

"I can help," Hiromi put in. She received a death-glare from Toto, but plunged on. "And if I tell Lettie, she'll keep an eye on you while you're working at the bakery."

"See? Everything's sorted."

"This _isn't_ a good idea..."

"It's the best idea I've had in a long while. So what do you say?" Louise caught Haru's hand and looked pleadingly into her eyes. "Just for a week?"

"I..."

"You've always said you wanted to get out more," Hiromi put in helpfully. "Perhaps this is what you need too. Anyway, the life is nice and you'll be getting the better deal."

Louise smiled wickedly. "Oh, as long as you can avoid the young men my mother throws at you, you'll be fine. Trust me; my mother hardly ever notices me apart from when she's trying to set me up. If you just reject all the men, then she won't spot the difference."

"What about your father?"

"He's away on a business trip. He won't be back until this is over. Please?"

"She won't notice any difference?" Haru repeated quietly.

"Not one iota. Toto and Yuki can give you an indication of my previous ploys to scare the young nobles off."

Haru bit her lip nervously, thinking about the offer while Toto voiced his protests in the background. All her life she had dreamed of breaking from routine – for _adventure_! Wasn't this what she had always been dreaming of? Wasn't this what she had been saving every penny for? A chance to escape her poverty? If she could just pull this off... But that was foolishness. It would never work. There was her mother - she surely couldn't tell her, could she? She'd see even more of the potential disasters than Haru could. It would be a complete fiasco. Even if it was just for a week. She would do something wrong; she would make a mistake, and then she would be in a whole world of trouble.

She was _scared_.

The realisation came with a jolt. That was what it was. That was why she hadn't jumped straight into the deal. There was too many things to think of; too many things that could go wrong.

But... it was only for a week...

Right?

"_I just... don't want to spend the rest of my life here... I want to be able to see the world and travel–!_"

Haru smiled foolishly; her previous words returning to her.

"_Luck? Don't make me laugh. What lucky happenstance could change my life around?_"

"_I just... don't want to spend the rest of my life here..."_

She was going to be rash. She was going to be stupid.

She was going to take what fate had thrown her.

"Okay."

"Yes. _Thank you_!" Louise moved as if to hug the other girl, but on remembering the sticky mess she was in, thought better of it. She moved her sparkling gaze around the storage room and addressed her next question to Hiromi. "Do you have any changing rooms here?"

"My home is upstairs; you two could use the bathroom to change clothes," offered Hiromi.

"What, we're going to swap now?"

"No time like the present," Louise replied gleefully. Haru almost spoke out - she should go home at least, tell her mother - but then there was the possibility that she could change her own mind in that time. As things were now, she was leaning dangerously in the direction of ducking out already. Only the rush of adrenaline stopped her from putting a stop to the mad scheme this second.

"I'll get the dye and potion," Hiromi said, utterly oblivious to Haru's dilemma. "Haru, you know your way to the bathroom, right?"

"Yeah. This should be interesting..."

ooOoo

"I'm still not convinced..."

"Oh, shush, Toto." Louise straightened out her – or, rather, Haru's – dress, finding the material to be coarser than her usual clothing. The dye had been washed from the dress with another potion at Hiromi's disposal. "It's like a mini-adventure." Her once-blonde strands of hair were now a deep dark brown and her eyes were of a rich matching colour.

"When your mother discovers the truth, she'll be having a heart attack."

"Very droll. But she's not going to discover it, is she? You and Yuki are going to make sure Haru turns into a perfect imitation of me."

Toto glowered, but gave in. "Yes, Milady."

"Anyway, we've got everything sorted out."

Haru tottered down the stairs, finding the high heels to be a hassle rather than a help. "What is the use of shoes you can't even walk in?" she demanded. She gripped the banister like a lifeline as she hauled herself down, each step one at a time.

Toto raised a sceptical eyebrow to Louise. "Everything sorted out, huh?"

"She just needs practise in them, that's all."

"Sure."

Haru arrived at the bottom of the stairs and gave her new shoes an apprehensive glare; her own eyes and hair now altered to be that of Louise's. Their hair had been about the same length – reaching their shoulders – so luckily Hiromi hadn't needed to bring the scissors out, but Haru was still unnerved in seeing blonde instead of brown strands fall about her face.

Hiromi arrived on the scene, with two bottles of the eye-drops cradled in her hands. "You remember the instructions for this stuff, right?"

"Yes, Hiromi. The potion will only last for twenty four hours, so we should apply it in the morning. One drop in each eye. Are you sure the hair dye will last all week?"

"Yep. The potion should definitely last that long – the guarantee is a week – and it won't come out with water either, so you won't have to worry about getting wet either. If you want to get it out early then you'll have to come back here and ask for the reversing potion. The magic of the hair potion is very specific to the week-long guarantee but... we'll cross that bridge nearer the time."

Louise was looking over the bottle Hiromi had passed to her. "How exactly do both work?"

"The hair dye is mostly natural ingredients, with a bit of magic to ensure it reaches the week-long guarantee, but the eye-drops are more magically based. After all, you have to be pretty careful what you're putting into your eyes."

"Of course."

"My mum is very experienced in this type of stuff; her mother was a village witch until she married my grandfather and they moved to the town. I have the same gift as my mum, but I've yet to learn to use it properly." Hiromi grinned. "Mum says I haven't got the discipline."

"Or the patience," Haru added. She straightened her hat nervously and fitted the gloves over her hands. Thankfully, everything had been an almost perfect fit.

"That too."

"If we are to go ahead with this crazy scheme, we should start heading back," Toto sighed. "We've spent quite enough time sorting this out for you to have gone round all the shops of the high street – twice. She'll be expecting you back any moment now."

"Yes, yes, you're right. Of course you're right. Take Haru, you two, and fill her in on everything she needs to know."

Haru was shaking her head as she allowed the two to lead her out of the shop and into the street. "I can't believe I agreed to this. This could so easily all go terribly wrong."

"Agreed," the young man growled.

They walked in silence for several minutes before Haru decided to break it. "Okay, so I didn't really catch your names back there. You are?"

"Toto. I am the consort for the Lady Louise."

"Yuki," the small blonde said. "Lady's maid."

"Well, I'm Haru, but I guess you're going to have to refer to me as... as... Louise..." Haru trailed off as she watched a small child playing a game on the edge of the road. One foot was already on the road, and as their friend tried to tag them, they ran out into the middle...

Haru could see it happening; as an oblivious carriage rattled down the road, she saw what was going to happen. It didn't take a genius to see the outcome if nothing was done.

Breaking away from her two companions, she ran out into the road. As she ran before the carriage, she heard the panicked whinnies of horses and the curse of the driver. However she carried on and swept the child up, losing a heeled shoe in one of the paving stones as she went. She barrelled into a bush on the other side, still cradling the small boy.

"Sammy? Sammy!"

Haru picked herself up. "He's fine, Miss."

A distraught mother picked up her son. "Oh, bless you, lady. Bless you."

"It's okay." Easing herself off the bush that had served to break her run, she noticed the dress had been torn in several places.

"Oh, Miss, your dress..."

"It's okay," she repeated. Louise probably had other dresses anyway. "I'm just glad the kid is alright. You don't play on the road, okay?" she said to the boy. "You're told to be careful around the roads for a reason. It's dangerous if you're not sensible."

Dumbly, the boy nodded, eyes wide at his rescuer.

"Ha- I mean, Milady! Are you okay?"

"Yes, Toto, I'm fine. The dress is a little torn-up, but I wasn't about to let the little boy get hit, was I?" Haru grimaced to the two servants. "Louise's mother isn't going to be pleased about this, is she?"

Yuki shook her head. "You're meant to be meeting a young noble tonight as well."

"Well, that'll be a great first introduction."

"Miss, are you hurt?"

Haru sighed. "For the last time, I'm _fine_."

The carriage that had almost hit the boy had pulled over and now its occupant was climbing out. The resident was a young man dressed in a clean, grey suit.

"I'm so sorry – was the child okay too?"

"A little in shock, but his mother seemed quite capable of dealing with that."

"Sorry, it's just we've been travelling for a few hours and–"

Haru dismissed it. "It wasn't anyone's fault. The kid ran out into the road without warning."

The driver had also moved to the group; he was a large man with a distinctive girth and plain brown hair. "You're sure the kid was fine? I couldn't bring myself to think that I could've..."

"He was fine."

"You're okay too?"

"Yes, I'm okay too. Now would everyone stop fussing? I probably should be heading back; I'm late as things stand."

"We could give you a lift," the man in the suit offered. "It's the least we can do."

Haru shook her head. "You're probably not even going my way. Anyway, I get a little motion-sick at the best of times."

"There must be something we can do..."

Haru shook her head again. "All I want to do is get home and rest. Today has had quite enough changes as it is. Actually... you could do me the favour of fetching my shoe. I appear to have lost it somewhere in the process."

"It's under the carriage, Miss." The driver was quick to retrieve the mislaid high heel.

"Thanks. I knew high heels were a mistake. It's flat shoes from now on..." She turned her attention to the two somewhat nervous, guilty-looking men. "Hey, it wasn't your fault, okay? Stop worrying. No one was hurt. Now you'd probably get going too – you look like you could do with a good meal and some rest too." She nodded respectfully to the pair of them. "Good day to you both."

She set off along the road, with Toto and Yuki quickly moving to catch up with her.

"That was quite something, Miss," the maid commented.

"Foolhardy," Toto muttered.

"How did you know you could make it across in time?"

Haru shrugged. "I didn't. I hoped. But I didn't really have time to think about it anyway." After a pause, she added, "I was lucky."

"Yeah, well let's just hope your luck hangs around. You may need it."


	3. Meeting the Mothers

Chapter 3: Meeting the Mothers

"Oh, Louise, thank goodness you're back. Eek! What have you done to your dress?"

"I..."

"Well, never mind. Go, dress into something nice. The young baron arrived only five minutes ago and the sooner you make his acquaintance, the better. Now, go! We've had to ask Cook to keep the food warm while we were waiting, so when you come down, go straight to the dining room. Hurry!"

Haru found herself sharply steered in the direction of the stairs before the blonde lady moved back – probably to make small conversation with the guests – and Haru had to depend on Yuki and Toto to lead her in the right direction.

"Was that Louise's mother?"

"Yep."

"Sheesh, she wasn't kidding about the marriage thing, was she?"

"Elizabeth DuBois is rather eager to see her daughter settled down," Toto answered formally. "Yuki, take Haru and get her into something a little less... ragged."

"Of course. If you'll come this way, Miss."

Haru found it quite surreal to be stood before a stuffed wardrobe; several dresses flung onto the queen's sized bed by Yuki as she searched for something for dinner.

"Now, Lady DuBois will probably want you to wear something nice, especially if she's got a guest – a suitable bachelor as well. So one of these dresses will probably do..."

Haru looked sceptically at the expensive gown, with its fine cut and elaborate taste. "I'm expected to wear something like that?"

"Why, yes. If it's not good enough..."

"No, that's not it at all. If anything, it's that it looks like something that should be on display; not something that I eat dinner in."

"You'll look fine in it."

"And how do you know that?"

"Lady Louise does."

Haru reluctantly gave in and allowed Yuki to start kitting her out in petticoats and slips and everything else that apparently she had to wear to go with the gown.

"Yuki? Why do you refer to Louise as 'Lady Louise' and her mother as 'Lady DuBois'? Shouldn't Louise be 'Lady DuBois as well?"

"Hm, well technically, yes. But because she's unmarried and it'd just be too confusing to have two ladies in the house called 'Lady DuBois', we call Louise by her christened name. And she prefers it. Now, Miss, if you'll just breathe in..."

"Breathe in? Breathe in for what?" Haru gasped as the corset's ribbons were pulled tight. "Yuki?" she squeaked. "A little looser, maybe?"

"Don't worry, it's meant to be tight-fitting."

"Is it meant to disable the wearer from breathing?" she wheezed.

Yuki sighed and loosened the cords a little. "Better?"

"Nope."

"Now?"

"Still no. Can we forsake the corset for today?"

"Louise is always expected to wear one during a meeting with a noble."

"Please? Just for today until I get used to it?"

"Hang on." The maid hurried over to the door and peeked out. "Toto, do you think Lady DuBois would notice if Haru didn't wear a corset today?"

"I think, in her current mood, the lady of the house would notice if a _button_ was out of place," Toto retorted curtly from outside.

"That's a yes, then?"

"Of course it's a yes! Go and tell the girl to toughen up."

"You're not the one wearing the damn thing!" Haru hissed from inside, having heard Toto's harsh reply.

"_I'm _not the one who's traded places with Lady Louise," his voice replied coolly. "Now hurry up. Lady DuBois is already in a bad enough mood without you making it worse with your tardiness."

Haru glowered, but allowed Yuki to redo the corset's laces and have the rest of the outfit – it felt more like a costume to Haru than proper clothes – done up.

"We should probably do something with your hair, but we haven't got time," mused Yuki, giving Haru one last critical look over.

"Can I at least change into some sensible shoes?"

"It would look a bit odd – Lady Louise usually wears heels..."

"Yuki," Haru said slowly, "it's going to look a lot odder if 'Lady Louise' stumbles into the dining room, and promptly falls flat on her face. Savvy?"

ooOoo

Relatively quickly – but not quite quick enough – Haru was making her way down to the dining room. Toto had pointed out the room, but she still hesitantly peeked her head in. She could see her 'mother' sitting at the head of the table; a spare place to her left. Haru couldn't see from where she peeped who sat on Lady DuBois' right, but at that moment the lady spotted her 'daughter's' hesitant appearance.

"Oh, look who finally decided to turn up. Louise, dear, what was taking you so long?"

"Had a little trouble with the dress," she mumbled as she took the offered seat.

"That's not like you at all. Baron, usually my daughter is so quick about everything, so don't judge her too harshly. It's not like her to dilly-dally when she knows that she's needed somewhere." There was a certain edge to the older woman's comment. Haru ignored it.

"Like rescuing a child?" the guest – the Baron, Haru supposed – asked.

Haru picked up her head suddenly to see the same man she'd met earlier. The same one whose carriage almost hit the small boy. "You! Wait, _you_ were coming _here_?"

The young noble chuckled gently at her embarrassment. "I guess you could have taken that offered lift then."

Lady DuBois was looking between the two. "You've already met?"

"Didn't your daughter tell you? She saved a child from getting hit this afternoon."

"Really? Louise, dear, you didn't tell me."

"You didn't give me a chance," Haru replied quietly. She looked down at her plate of food; the cut salmon looking very sad beside the peas and parsnips. She wondered if she could somehow politely excuse herself from the meal today; she really had no appetite.

"Just for the record, it was a most brave act you performed back there."

Haru cautiously looked up to the Baron, before blushing and returning her attention to pushing peas around her plate. "I... Thank you."

Lady DuBois appeared to be having trouble restraining her impatience at her 'daughter's' reluctance to speak. "Well, aren't you even going to ask the young man his name?"

"Oh... of course." She tried not to blush at her mistake. "Um, what's your name?" She felt even more foolish for asking it like that; surely there had to be some better – smoother – way to ask.

"I am Baron Humbert von Gikkingen. But my friends call me Baron."

"Oh. And what would I call you?"

"You may call me Baron."

"But we don't know each other yet," she pointed out.

"Louise! Be polite."

The Baron, however, just chuckled again. "You may call me Humbert if you so wish. Personally, I prefer to go by my title."

"Well that's just a bit conceited if you ask me," she muttered as she took a sip of her drink.

"_Louise_!" Lady DuBois hissed. The woman's face was nearly going purple.

"It's quite alright. Lady Louise, with a first name like Humbert, I just feel more comfortable with going by it. And most people struggle with the 'von Gikkingen' part of my name anyway. I can understand your reasoning."

For a few moments, Haru couldn't find it in her to do anything but stare. She hadn't been expecting a measured response like that. She looked down, feeling more awkward than ever and chased a runaway pea with her knife and fork in an attempt to take her mind off it.

"Louise, don't you think you have something to say to the good Baron? In the way of an _apology_, for example?" Lady DuBois' voice had turned taut. Haru could almost hear the veins popping.

Yuki and Toto had, on the walk back, given Haru plenty of stories of ways in which Louise had scared off previous suitors. From replacing spaghetti with worms, to telling stories of the mansion being haunted, the lady had terrified off every suitor so far. Haru wasn't sure what kind of stunt would scare off _this_ suitor though. It wasn't as if she'd had the extensive practice Louise had...

"Louise? Well, are you going to say anything?"

Haru, faking a smile, picked up her head and looked over at the Baron. "Sure. Sir, are your parents also desperate to get you married off to a near-stranger, or were they just unaware of the madhouse they were sending you to?"

She kept her gaze steady as she heard Lady DuBois give an aggravated screech and, throwing down her cutlery, storm off. However, as she heard the door slam, signalling the woman's full departure, a smile crept onto her face and she had to turn away and cover her mouth to prevent a laugh escaping her.

However, the other occupant of the room was also smiling. He chuckled again. "Are you usually this frank with guests?"

"I have, _literally_, no idea. You'll have to ask her." Haru motioned to the slammed door. On seeing the visitor chuckle at her antics, she released a nervous snort. "Sorry, I should probably have tried to be more subtle about the entire thing, shouldn't I?"

"I received the impression that your mother would have appreciated it if you had been."

Finally smothering her suppressed humour that had been a result of her nerves, she returned to the task of eating. She pushed the escapee pea around her plate again and they both lapsed into silence. After three uneventful laps of the plate, the pea evidently became bored of the repetition and, as Haru tried to pin it down with her knife, it flicked off. She watched it narrowly miss the Baron and hop down to the floor, bouncing several times before coming to a tired rest beside the wall.

There was a pause as they both took in what just happened, and then they both released a momentary laugh.

"Are you actually hungry?" he asked, his eyes glittering with amusement. Somehow, the previous tension had been diffused.

"No. The sauce is too rich for me anyway." She looked over to his mostly-untouched plate. "You?"

"I ate before travelling, but didn't have the heart to tell your mother," he admitted.

"You should have told her. Then we might have been spared this charade." She leant back in her seat and grimaced. "And perhaps I wouldn't have had to wear this torture instrument that they call a corset," she muttered to herself.

"Is it custom to return our plates to the kitchen or just leave them here?"

Haru shrugged. "I don't know. I suppose we leave them here."

"Don't you know the customs in your own home?"

Haru gave him a hard stare. "After that fiasco, you think I dine with my mother often?"

He weighed up her argument. "Okay, that's understandable." He got to his feet and, before Haru could take time to move, had moved round to offer a hand to her.

"Um, thank you." She was unaccustomed to the gentlemanly manners. After all, it wasn't as if there was a man around her own home...

"Just asking, but were you serious about that question you asked earlier?"

"The one about this place being a madhouse?"

He nodded.

"Well, to be honest, I hadn't thought far enough to consider what answer you might give. I was just getting irritated with... my mother's not-so-subtle behaviour. I understand that she wants to see me married but her techniques..."

"Leave something to be desired?"

"You could say that."

"I hope that you won't find me too forward," he said as they exited the dining room, "but since I'm expected to stay a week, perhaps you would not be averse to spending some time with me over the next few days?"

"I'm sure I could manage that," Haru replied, smiling. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it's been a long day and I could probably do with an early night."

"Of course. Will I see you tomorrow?"

"Maybe."

Haru found her way back to Louise's room, finding Toto standing on the landing, looking over her disapprovingly. "What was _that_ about?"

"What?" Haru asked, still smiling. "I was just being polite."

"Louise said not to get involved with any of her mother's matchmaking schemes..."

Haru snorted. "_Relax_. I wasn't getting involved. Like I said, I was just being polite. Anyway," she added, her eyes phasing out slightly, "he was a decent sort of fellow."

It was Toto's turn to snort. "Nobility. All the suitors Lady DuBois have brought along have been the same sort of brainless, pampered, childish idiots, with about as much capacity to care for another human being as a lion with toothache..."

"Yeah? Well, maybe this guy is different..."

"You didn't see the other suitors Louise had to put up with. They were just the same; all too considerate and thoughtful at the start, with pretty faces, but they all turned out to be as shallow as a puddle in a desert. "

"He seemed to be genuinely caring..." Haru mused aloud.

"Oh, _well_, I expect these lords and barons are well versed in charming ignorant, little _peasant_ girls off their feet. Louise wouldn't have been fooled."

"What did you call me?" Haru growled.

"A peasant girl. An ignorant, little peasant girl."

"I didn't say I liked him!" she retorted. "I just said he seemed _decent_. What does Louise have against suitors anyway? Why won't she give them a chance? Maybe that one does deserve a chance!"

"You are not the one to judge that!"

"Am I not?" she snapped. "And why is that?"

Toto's face was turning black with anger. "You wouldn't be the one who'll have to marry him," he whispered.

Haru stopped. "Oh... If I'm friendly to the Baron, Louise's mother will assume her matchmaking scheme's working, won't she?" she whispered.

Toto nodded slowly. "And then she'd be one step from pushing Louise down the church aisle."

"Okay, you're right. I'll work on making him leave tomorrow."

"Thank you."

Before Haru entered Louise's – her – room, she paused, as if to add something to Toto. But then she just shook her head and slipped through the doorway. She wouldn't mention it yet; she wasn't sure.

But she was already beginning to piece together where Toto's heart lay.

ooOoo

"Haru? Is that you, Haru?"

Louise stood with her back to the shut door; her eyes scanning the dimly-lit hallway. "Um... yes."

"Come into the main room."

Louise hesitated and wandered timidly up to the only door she could see. She pushed the ajar door slightly wider and crept inside. Unlike the neat, pristine condition that her own mother insisted on keeping the house in, Haru's mother was sitting amongst a mess of craft materials and quilting supplies.

"How was today?"

"Okay."

Naoko Yoshioka leant back in her usual manner to get a better look at her 'daughter'. Her grey-green eyes crinkled with sympathy. "You sound a bit down; is everything alright?"

"I'm just tired."

"That'll be because of all that work you're taking on. I _told_ you that you've been overworking yourself. Perhaps you should take tomorrow off. You are certainly going to take Friday off."

"Friday?" Louise echoed.

"Friday? You remember – the Summer Festival starts on Friday?" reminded the redhead, with one eyebrow raised. "Sheesh, you must be tired if you've forgotten that. And I know you were saying that Mr Cesari will be expecting you to work, because of the good business and everything, but if he can't understand that you need some time off now and again he needs a good talking-to."

Louise nodded faintly, receiving the impression that this was a much talked-over topic between Haru and her mother.

"And, I know that you feel that you can handle the workload, but when was the last time you willingly took a day off? No, no, Haru, don't deny it; you need this Friday off. Promise me you'll talk to Mr Cesari about it?"

"Yes, mother, I promise."

Naoko paused. "Haru, are you sure everything's okay?"

"Yes, everything's fine."

"Okay, if you're sure..." The redhead signalled across the room to the cupboards lining the far wall. "There is some ham in the cupboards; you can make yourself a sandwich if you're hungry."

"Oh. Okay." Louise moved to the gestured cupboard. "What about you?"

"I'm not hungry."

Louise wasn't entirely sure whether she believed the woman, but opened the cupboard anyway. On one of the shelves was a very lonely-looking few slices of ham. She brought it down to the cluttered kitchen surface and moved round to find some bread. The task was more difficult than she was expecting, with most of the cupboards devoid of food. As she ran one hand inside one of the cupboards, she found it to be slightly dusty. Evidently there hadn't been enough food to fill all the cupboards in a long time. Feeling guilty, she replaced the ham and decided she wasn't really that desperate for food after all.

"Actually, I'm not that hungry either," she said as she came and sat down beside her 'mother'.

"You've been at work all day, Haru. Don't tell me you're not hungry again," scolded the older woman.

"And what about you? When was your last meal?"

"This morning, but I'm older and I haven't been up and about as much as you have."

Louise didn't look happy about it, but gave in on the fight and moved her attention instead onto the quilt Naoko was halfway through making. "What is that for?"

"I'm going to sell it at one of the shops along Cornmarket Lane. Of course, they'll sell it on for more, but they have higher-class customers than I'll ever get if I set up a stall along the marketplace. Of course, I'll have a stall in the marketplace during the Summer Festival too, like I do every year. You can help if you want, but you _will_ take some breaks. This Friday and the following weekend you _are_ going to have a rest."

Louise smiled quietly at the woman's adamant comments. By the sound of it, Haru usually put up more of a fight when it came to this subject. The redhead was more motherly than her own mother. She wondered what it would have been like to grow up with a mother who was willing to go hungry for her child, or who was always thinking of her daughter. Not that Lady DuBois didn't love her daughter – she cared for Louise a great deal really when it came down to it – but there was a distant lack of understanding between them. Elizabeth DuBois didn't really need to give up stuff for her daughter. Louise couldn't help wondering further what would have happened if Elizabeth's and Naoko's roles had been reversed. Perhaps they both would have turned out completely different.

"Hey, mother?"

Naoko sighed as, with head down, she focused on her task at hand. "Why are you suddenly calling me 'mother'? It's always been 'mum'."

"Oh, okay. Mum?"

"Hm?"

Louise paused, unsure what she had meant to say. "Nothing. Just... thanks."

The woman picked her head and looked over at her 'daughter'. "Goodness gracious, whatever for?"

"Just... for always being there for me."

Naoko smiled. "Hey, isn't that what a mother's meant to do?"

'_I wasn't aware it was until now_,' Louise thought, a faint bitter. But she kept her thoughts to herself. She wondered how her brunette counterpart was doing with her own mother. If this was the usual treatment she was accustomed to, she was going to receive a shock.


	4. To the Sound of Music

Chapter 4: To the Sound of Music

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN _DANCE_?"

Lady DuBois winced at her 'daughter's' loud exclamation over the breakfast table. However, she maintained her calm demeanour as she cut the egg on her plate into small, manageable pieces. "I mean exactly what I said. There's a dance – a ball, whatever you may wish to call it – at the Palace this evening and we have received invitations. The young Baron has also been invited and he shall be accompanying us."

"Why couldn't you have told me this earlier? Like _yesterday_? Last _week_?"

It was only the two of them for breakfast that morning, with the Baron having already eaten and gone for a look round the town. Haru had a sneaky feeling that he had just wanted to avoid another meal with the family feuds flying over the table. Not that she blamed him in the least.

"Well, to be honest, I didn't think you'd have anything arranged, and it wasn't like you needed to know in advance, was it?"

Haru gritted her teeth. "Does it even matter what I think?"

"But, darling, you _love_ to dance."

Louise could dance? Dammit, that was one difference they hadn't thought to check. She briefly wondered what would happen if Louise, disguised as Haru, danced. It would look like nothing short of miraculous.

"Mother, I'm not that well today..."

"You can manage. Just look like you're fine and no one will question it."

"A dress," Haru said desperately. "What am I meant to wear?" She knew she was scraping at the bottom of the barrel now, but there was no way she could possibly go to a ball...

"Oh, don't worry about that. You remember we got you measured out a few weeks ago? Well, I've ordered a dress specially for this occasion."

"What even _is_ the occasion?"

"Oh, I think it might be the Crown Prince's coming-of-age ball. I really don't know, but you must look your best, dear. It wouldn't do to embarrass the DuBois family before the royal family."

'_If I dance, that's going to be certainty_,' Haru thought with dread. "If it's such a big event and so many people are there, no one will notice if I'm not there..."

"Oh, _hush_, darling. Of course people will notice. And with your new dress, you are going to be the belle of the ball!"

Haru directed her glare down to the rapidly-cooling, uneaten pieces of bacon. "Mother, I don't want to go to the ball."

"Now you're just being silly, dear," Lady DuBois dismissed coolly. "You are going to the ball and that's final. Now eat up; you're showing Baron von Gikkingen round the town when he gets back, remember?"

"He's already seen the town," Haru reminded the lady with slowly clenching teeth. "That's why he isn't here with us." '_Lucky thing_.'

"Well show him round _again_, that's a good girl. Honestly, sometimes I ask myself if you're really my daughter."

ooOoo

"Miss, please, stop panicking."

Haru ignored the maid's pleas and continued to pace the room fervently. "This is it; everyone's going to know that I'm not Louise. It's all going to go up in smoke; kaput. I am so, _so_ dead." Her voice travelled on a rollercoaster of pitch; quickly moving from low to squeaky high, and back down to low again.

"It's only dancing."

Yuki's comment did nothing to help. If anything, Haru's mild hysteria only worsened. "Only dancing! She says 'only dancing'!" she repeated. She turned on the bewildered maid. "You have never seen me dance, have you?"

"I don't believe so..."

Haru laughed hysterically and continued with her frantic pacing. "If you had, you would know just how pointless this argument is. I _can't_ go to the Ball. End of argument, bye-bye."

"But, miss, you must!"

"We'll have to go back and reverse this entire swap!" Haru exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically. "We don't have a choice in the matter!"

Toto knocked at the door and entered. "How is our Louise-wannabe doing?"

Yuki made a face. "I think she's losing it."

"Toto," Haru said suddenly, turning to her consort, "Lady DuBois is expecting me to go to a Ball tonight." After a moment, she added, "And _dance_!"

The man's expression failed to change adequately for Haru's liking. "And?"

"And I can't dance."

"At all?"

"At all. Not even close."

"We could teach you..." offered Yuki.

A coarse laugh escaped her throat. "If you value your feet, you'll not try anything of the sort."

"That bad?"

"Yep. Toto, we have to find Louise and reverse this swap!"

Toto looked over the scene before him. "Okay. Okay, we'll head down to Peddler's Street – that's where your home is, right?"

"Work will already have started; Louise will be at the bakery."

"Okay, well we'll head down there instead."

"Right, I'll get my coat and..." Haru slammed her feet to a stop. "Oh, damn."

"What?"

"I'm expected to show the Baron round the town when he returns."

"Can't you get out of it?"

"You want to explain it to Lady DuBois?"

Toto considered the options. "Right, okay, slight change of plan. You show the Baron round, and when we get near the bakery, we'll find some way to distract him while you and Louise swap."

"We'll have to go to Hiromi's place to get the potions to undo the hair and eye changes," Haru reminded him.

"Look, we'll just make it up as we go along, right?" Toto snapped. "I could have down with a bit of forewarning on the matter."

"Me too, but there's not much we can do about it."

ooOoo

"Good morning, Louise."

Haru gave the young noble a look that just fell short of a death glare. She thinned her lips and looked impatiently out of a window. "Good day, sir. My _mother_ has asked that I show you round the town today."

The emphasis on Lady DuBois's part in this made it quite clear this was against her wishes.

Slightly thrown off balance by Haru's sudden change of mood from the evening before, Baron tried a hesitant smile. "So... breakfast was a stressful affair then?" he guessed.

The death glare was momentarily flicked over to him, and then away again. "You could say that." '_You have __**no**__ idea..._'

She lapsed back into stony silence.

Baron waited for her to add something else but, perhaps sensing that she wasn't about to spontaneously start a conversation, asked, "So, where are we going?"

"We're starting with the high street first," Haru informed him curtly. "Now, we should probably be going." Without waiting for him to give assent, she walked out of the DuBois mansion and started down the road. Toto and Yuki followed (Haru had been informed that they were expected to escort her everywhere – apparently privacy wasn't something a young lady was expected to have) and Baron quickly caught up.

After a few more minutes of awkward silence, Baron said, "If I've said anything to offend you, I would like to know what it is. I believed we started off quite well yesterday..."

He sounded so sincere in his words that Haru couldn't help herself thinking that, despite Toto's warning, this noble was a decent young man. She'd have to ask Louise to give him a chance when they exchanged places. Surely he deserved that much.

However, she maintained her indifferent facade. Toto had been right in one thing; she wouldn't be the one expected to marry him if she acted nice. "Perhaps you were mistaken, sir."

She could tell that her answer had completely baffled the Baron.

"Louise, what's happened?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

"And _you_, young sir," she retorted tightly, rounding on him, "are presuming too much."

"On the contrary, I am presuming nothing. I just wish to know for this sudden change in attitude."

Haru kept her piercing gaze – at least, she hoped it was as sharp as it felt – trained on him and harshly responded with, "Circumstances have changed, okay? I had a few important truths shoved down my throat and I've realised a few things. That's all."

"And, as a consequence, you're refusing to talk civilly to me?"

Haru momentarily looked away, searching for an answer, before turning her gaze back to the noble. She hardened her heart. "Sir," she started slowly and bluntly, "if you took a moment to look at my history, you'd see that twenty suitors have arrived at my gates, and twenty suitors have quickly left. That number can easily become twenty-one."

"I was aware of your past..." he replied hesitantly.

"So what makes you think you'll be any different?" she asked in a low voice.

They continued to stare at one another before Baron dropped his gaze. Sensing a victory that she wasn't sure she wanted, Haru tossed her head and moved away. "Toto and Yuki can look after you for a while. I'm going to see a friend." Leaving the rejected noble, she headed over to the bakery. She slipped inside and tried to leave her screaming conscious outside – and failed dramatically. She walked over to where Lettie was standing at the counter.

"Hello, miss, can I help you?"

"Lettie," Haru hissed, "it's me."

The other woman paused and looked closer at the disguised Haru. Her eyes widened. "Haru? But... what are you doing here? Your _doppelganger_ is covering for you..."

"I need to talk to her."

"Okay." Lettie called for another worker to cover for her and lead Haru through to the smoky kitchens. "She should be here..."

It was a very surreal sight. Haru rounded a corner and saw a brunette in the bakery uniform, looking exactly like her in just about every way. Well, at least the disguise worked.

"Haru?" Lettie called, aware that other co-workers were about. "Can you come over here?"

"Sure."

The brunette stopped at her work and walked over. "What is it?"

"Well, we have a lady wishing to see you."

Louise looked up and stared at her lookalike. "Haru?"

"Shush!" hissed Haru. "Not so loud. Remember, _you're_ Haru here."

"Oh, right." Louise looked between Lettie and Haru. "What is this about then?"

Lettie shrugged. "I don't know. She just said she needed to talk to you."

Haru, however, wasted no time. "We need to swap places," she said shortly. She dragged the true-blonde further into the room and found a corner where their co-workers weren't about to walk in on their conversation.

"Why? It's only been a day – if that."

"Your mother is intent on dragging me to a Ball this evening."

"What? But, she didn't tell me or anything..."

"I know. She didn't think it was a _need-to-know_ thing."

"Well, can't you bluff it?"

"I. Can't. Dance," Haru replied curtly.

"Bluff?" repeated Louise.

Haru scoffed and threw back her head in a half-laugh. "If only."

"Just... say you're ill or something."

"Tried that. I'm still going."

"You're not trying hard enough then."

"The Ball's being held at the Palace."

"Ah. Okay, Mother isn't going to let you off."

"We have to swap before I make an utter fool out of myself and everyone realises I'm not you!"

"Hey, hey, don't panic. I'm sure you can just hang around the edge and say you don't feel like dancing..."

This did nothing to soothe the other woman's nerves. One hand was run fretfully through blonde-dyed hair. "And if someone asks me to dance?"

Louise laughed. "Turn them flat down. Mother is quite accustomed to my hostility to the male gender in general. In fact, the only guy I regularly speak to in an agreeable manner is Toto. Oh, and Daddy, but I don't see him that often."

"So you're not up to swapping?"

Louise glanced around. "I think we can manage this. Anyway, you've caught us all at a busy time and technically I'm meant to be working. If I go, I think my absence – or yours, whatever – is going to be noticed."

Haru grinned. "Ah, so you've met Mr Cesari?"

"Definitely."

"Haru Yoshioka!"

Both girls jumped. "Yes, sir!" '_Talk of the devil..._'

The baker had entered the main kitchen and was looking down the little passage where the large ovens sat. He raised an eyebrow at Haru and Louise.

"I don't know who you are, young lady, but my workers are paid for their time here. They don't need distracting with idle gossip."

It took a few seconds for Haru to realise the 'young lady' comment was being applied to her.

"Yes, sir," Haru said meekly and scampered out. Even when she was dressed to be a lady of nobility, the grouchy baker still terrified her.

She came out into the warm mid-morning sunlight of the day as she exited the bakery and looked for her usual companions.

"Louise? Is that you?"

Haru picked up her head to see Toto making his way to her. Yuki was distracting the Baron with some conversation with a stall keeper on the other side of the street.

"Did you complete the swap?" he demanded. "Please say you're back, Louise; looking after that other girl was a complete nightmare! She has no idea how to act like a young lady and she's besotted with that young noble and... and..." He trailed off, his eyes dimming a little, "and you're Haru, aren't you?" he ended lamely.

"That I am," she replied tautly. She picked up her skirts and headed in the direction of the maid and Baron. "And I'll have you know I'm not _besotted_ with him."

Toto caught her wrist. "Why are you still... blonde?" He couldn't find a more subtle way of asking the question in public.

"We haven't really got enough time to make the change without someone realising that we're missing," Haru told him. "That, and Louise thinks I can manage this."

"Really?"

Haru rolled her eyes at Toto's carefully-constructed sarcastic tone. She originally didn't think he did sarcastic, but she was quickly learning he could say everything with tone and gaze while still using a civil tongue. "I know; I don't believe her either, but there's not much we can do about it right now."

"So what are we going to do?"

"We're going to cut this tour short and then you are going to give me the basics of dancing."

"I thought you said that..."

"I know. And I apologise in advance for the torture your feet are going to go through. You have my deepest condolences." Haru cut off her words and tapped Yuki and the Baron on the shoulder. "Come on, you two. We're heading back."

Yuki looked over Haru. "Are you...?"

Haru shook her head. "And it's unlikely to change in time for the Ball."

Baron looked between the two young women. "What...?"

Haru made a dismissing motion with her hand. "It doesn't concern you. Come on, we're going." With an impatient air generated by the failed exchange earlier, she stormed off.

As they returned in the direction they'd come, Baron directed his question to Toto. "What was Lady Louise talking about?"

Toto gave the man a hard stare of his own. "She said it didn't concern you." Then, as if realising that the vague conversation could easily be interpreted in several different – and possibly, embarrassing – contexts, he added, "The lady is merely feeling unwell. She was asking a friend for a remedy, but it appears she was unsuccessful."

Baron paused, as if considering whether to believe Toto's answer. "Is she going to the Ball?"

"Unfortunately, yes," he replied, a frown passing over his features.

The young noble didn't ask what he meant; 'Louise' had made it quite clear that she didn't want him sticking his nose into her business. It was just unfortunate that that was a habit he was very good at.

ooOoo

"One, two, three... One, two, three... One, two, three..."

"Yuki?" muttered Haru, staring down at her feet. "The counting isn't helping."

"It's to keep you in time!" the maid sang happily back. "One, two, three..."

"Personally, I could probably do with learning the basics before putting it to any rhythm," the true-brunette murmured. Unintentionally proving her point, she stepped on Toto's foot.

The consort only winced and continued his muttered instructions. "Right foot back, now back and to the left... Right next to left, left forward..."

Haru bumped into Toto as her right foot tripped her over. Toto sighed and set her straight again. "Right foot was meant to join your left."

"Well I'm _sorry_," Haru snarled furiously. "'Right next to left' isn't that clear. I didn't know you meant my right leg was meant to _move_."

"What did you think I meant then?"

"I don't know! That's why I didn't move my foot!"

The man set his mouth in a thin line and tightly said, "From the top. Right foot back. Left foot left. Right _foot_ next to left..."

"One, two, three..."

"And I was told dancing was meant to be romantic," Haru grumbled.

"_Concentrate_. Right foot back. Left foot backwards and sideways..."

Haru soundly kicked Toto in the right leg as she struggled to take in both instructions. "Sorry."

"Right foot next to left," he forced through gritted teeth. "And we begin again."

"Again? I can't remember how we started..."

"Right foot back..." ordered Toto. "Left foot to left and sideways..."

"I'm sorry; I'm sorry!" Haru apologised once more as she managed to step on his foot.

Again.

"You did that move fine a moment ago!"

"My memory isn't good with this stuff!"

"One, two, three..."

"Can you be quiet!?" Haru snapped, snatching her hands away from Toto and spinning to the maid.

Yuki clamped her mouth shut; eyes wide with surprise. "Sorry," she whispered.

"_Thank_ _you_!" Haru turned back round to Toto. "What?"

Toto was staring at the young woman. Eventually he said, "Nothing, _Milady_." The contempt in his voice was clear and perfectly audible. "Shall we begin the routine again?"

"I don't think it's going to make much of a difference," Haru said bluntly.

"Fine. You'll just have to talk your way out of dancing." Toto picked up his jacket from the side and briskly headed out.

Yuki watched her colleague leave and shrugged apologetically as she slipped off her chair. "I should really be getting stuff together for this evening," she explained. "You know, the dress, the shoes... stuff..."

"It's fine, Yuki," Haru sighed. "You can go."

As the door swung shut behind the maid, Haru drifted to the tall ballroom windows and sat against them, staring tiredly at the neatly-kept gardens that were a far cry from the bedroom view she was accustomed to. How could someone even have that much garden anyway? What did they _do_ with it all? There were only so many flowers you could admire before you bordered on insanely bored...

"Have your shadows abandoned you?"

She didn't move her forehead from the cooling surface of the glass. "Take a running jump, moron," she instructed dully.

To her mundane surprise, the baron didn't leave. In fact he walked over and sat beside one of the windows before her, looking her in the eye. "Look, I know today has been... well, I don't really know, but something's happened. I don't know if it's something that I've done, or something that your mother has said, or... whatever, but whatever _has_ happened, I hope that you'll be able to talk to me about it."

Haru snorted and directed her gaze outward into the fairytale-green grass. "We only met yesterday; what makes you think I'm going to open up to _you_ about anything?"

The young noble shrugged. "I didn't say you had to, I just suggested it."

"Well for your information, it's none of your business."

"Of course."

The silence stretched out between them, teasing Haru's nerves, but she struggled to ignore it. Why did he have to be so intent on being the gentleman all the time and not rise to any of her taut replies? She could annoy Toto so easily, and yet this baron almost seemed to find her animosity refreshing at times.

Biting her lip, her eyes drifted back to the young man. "You're going to the Ball tonight, aren't you?"

"Yes. I have been informed that you and your mother will also be attending."

Again, that undignified snort slipped past Haru's guard. "Yeah, apparently we are."

"You do not relish the thought of it then?"

"I await it in mild dread," she replied briskly.

"Are you not fond of social events then?"

"No, it's just quite simply because I _can't dance_," Haru retorted.

"But your mother has told me numerous times of your dancing ability."

"Let's just say that a few things have _changed_ since last time I danced."

To her real surprise this time, the Baron got to his feet. She wondered what his intention was until he offered a hand to her. "Come on then. Show me."

She adamantly shook her head, getting his meaning. "Oh, no way. Not unless you want to be crippled for the Ball tonight..."

A confident smile slipped over the noble's face. "I don't believe you're as bad a dancer as you claim. Prove it."

Haru hesitated. And then... '_Okay, if he wants proof, he's going to get proof. Maybe this will drive him off..._' She placed her hand into his and slowly got to her feet. "Whatever happens, this was your own fault," she warned. "I _did_ advise you against this..."

The smile didn't leave his face. "Stop making excuses and just dance."

"There is no music."

"Who needs music? Lady Louise, would you care to join me for a waltz?"

"No, I would not care for a waltz," Haru replied stiffly, but she allowed him to move her left hand onto his shoulder. As he placed his own hand around her waist she realised that if this were a ploy to get close to her, it had worked like a charm. Her right hand was gently taken in his left.

"Well, that's a shame. How good is your knowledge on the waltz?"

"Nonexistent," she answered immediately.

"We'll take it slowly then. And I'll ask now; you _do_ know your right from your left, right?"

"Of course I know my right from my left!" Haru replied indignantly.

"Just checking. It'll make it easier if I need to give directions."

"If?"

"Yes, _if_. And _try_ to smile, Louise."

"Oh, I'm _sorry_. I didn't know it was compulsory."

Despite her snappy tone, he smiled back. "Just focus on keeping eye contact."

"Aren't I meant to be watching my feet?"

"How many professional dancers do you see watching their feet?"

Haru rolled her eyes. "That's like asking how many professional tightrope walkers you see holding someone's hand."

"Point made. But just trust me on this; look at me rather than your feet."

"You're just saying that," she grumbled.

"You won't know unless you try it."

Reluctant, she nodded and tilted her head to look up into those green eyes. He took one slow step towards her and calmly instructed, "Right."

She moved her right foot back instinctively and then realised she'd already done the first move correctly, as he'd meant.

"Left," he continued, as his right foot came forward. She followed his movement with her left foot. "Right."

Her right foot joined her left.

"Left."

She moved forward as he moved away.

"Right."

Keeping her eyes trained on his, her right foot came forward.

"Left."

Her left foot met her right.

"And you've done one set," he said slowly.

Disbelieving, she glanced down at her feet. Yes, there they were; all present and accounted for. "No one's going to believe this..."

"Certainly not your mother. She was quite firm on your dancing ability. Well, we won't tell her about your practice. Again?"

She nodded and they went through the movements; Baron gently reminding her which foot was meant to move.

She suddenly laughed as she watched the room gently move around her. "It's just a box," she cried. "We're just moving round in a box movement."

He grinned at her realisation. "Well, it _is_ called the box step," he reminded her.

"Oh... of course." She immediately felt foolish.

"Of course," he echoed and continued with his mild instructions. "Left..." He winced as he received an accidental kick. "I said left."

"That _was_ my left."

"I thought you said you knew right from left."

"That was left," she insisted hotly. "You should have said right!"

"No, I shouldn't have..."

"Yes..."

"No..."

"Yes. _You_ lost track and said the wrong one."

He paused. "Did I really?"

"Yes."

He laughed. "Sorry. Try again?"

"Only if you're sure you know your left from your right."

"I'll try my best."

At some point for her though her mind lost track of his kindly directions and she was instinctively – or perhaps, naturally – following his movements. Like he had asked, she was watching his eyes and now she began to wonder why she had never seen before the jewel-like quality they possessed. Asking herself why she hadn't noticed it before. She struggled to come up with an answer to that, but could only reason that she hadn't allowed him that close before now.

How many times had they gone through the same movements? she wondered as the tall ballroom windows slowly passed by her time and time again. More importantly, why hadn't she grown bored of it yet? She tried to convince herself that it was purely from the exhilaration of dancing – without injury to herself or her partner – for the first time, but then as they slowed their dancing and moved closer, that illusion broke.

Suddenly Haru brought herself to a stop and stepped away. She couldn't bring herself to look at the Baron.

"Louise, what is it?"

Biting her lip once again, she shook her head and rushed out of the ballroom. Slamming the door behind her, she ran to her – Louise's – room and slumped against her bed.

'_Dammit, what was I thinking?_' her mind screamed at her. '_I was going to kiss him!_'

She let her head fall onto her tucked-in knees, clenching her eyes shut.

'_This whole thing would be a lot easier if I didn't have to pretend to be Louise._'


	5. The Maskless Masquerade

Chapter 5: The Maskless Masquerade

"Honestly, Louise; you've been so quiet since I last saw you at breakfast. This isn't like you at all."

Haru didn't reply to Lady DuBois's comment; just continuing to watch the world slowly sway by the lull of the carriage's movement. Far from making her sleepy, she felt sick. Her stomach threatened to rebel as it lurched with every rock of the coach.

"Louise, are you even listening to me?"

"Nope," she answered truthfully. Smiling a little tiredly to herself, she listened to the woman's spluttering at her 'daughter's' sudden loss of manners. "And since you completely failed to listen to me about going to the Ball, I think we're even."

"That- That is..."

"Completely different?" Haru offered dryly.

"Yes! Completely different! I'm just doing what's best for my little girl."

"Not so little anymore. I'm old enough to make my own decisions, _Mother_."

Lady DuBois huffed and turned to the other occupants of the carriage. "Someone knock some sense into her!"

Yuki, dressed in her usual maid uniform and holding the box that contained Haru's new dress on her lap, shrugged. "Nothing I say ever makes a difference."

Haru's eyes flickered to the Baron who was sitting opposite her. She gave him a look that warned him against saying anything, anything at all. For a moment it looked like he was going to rise to the challenge, and then he backed down.

"We should have brought along your consort," Lady DuBois complained, seeing that no one was coming to her aid. "He usually is the one who can talk some common sense into you."

"I gave him the evening off."

"An evening off? What does he need an evening off for?" vented the older woman. "It's not as if his work is particularly taxing!"

"I can be very taxing when I feel like it. And I believe he's going into town to meet a young woman."

"Oh, really? Well I hope he's not thinking of marriage. He'd be away for the honeymoon and then he'd always have his head filled with romantic fluff and all in all it'd be very inconvenient for us..."

Haru gritted his teeth. "Toto can marry whosoever he pleases."

"Yes, dear," Lady DuBois agreed absent-mindedly, patting the girl's hand. "I'm just thinking of the hassle of it all. Try to think _practically_ for once, my dear."

Haru huffed and turned her head to look out of the window, purposely avoiding the Baron's gaze just opposite her. Her stomach gave a final rebelling lurch. "Stop the carriage," she suddenly ordered.

"What...?"

"I said stop the carriage. I'm going to be sick."

"But..."

"_Now_!"

ooOoo

"Well that was embarrassing."

Haru didn't hesitate to glare at the maid. "_Thank you_, Yuki. Like I needed an update."

"I don't know what Lady DuBois thinks though – Louise has never been motion-sick before," the maid continued, tilting her head in a thoughtful manner.

"Yeah, well there's a first time for everything." Haru sat down at the dressing table and stared moodily back at her reflection. She still couldn't become accustomed to the blonde, blue-eyed woman who stared moodily back. The only thing she could recognise was the glare.

What did that say about her?

After throwing up on the side of the – thankfully empty – road she had been ushered tentatively back into the carriage. She remembered very clearly Lady DuBois's overt distaste at Haru's 'unfortunate accident' and her assurances to the Baron that Louise was usually so much more dignified than this – Haru had attempted not to snort at the usage of the word 'dignified'. Following that had been the none-too-awkward rest of the journey to the Palace, with Lady DuBois's incessant chatter and Haru's clear lack of attention.

Once they had arrived at the Palace, Haru had been escorted to a room to change out of her travel clothes and into the dress that her 'mother' was making such a fuss about. Now she sat, leaning back to get a better look at the dress box, sitting ominously on the table across the room.

'_I've got a bad feeling about this..._'

Yuki was moving round to unravel the box and bring out a neatly folded satin material. She held it up so that Haru could get a full look at it.

"Well, Lady DuBois spent a pretty penny on this," the maid commented.

Haru sighed and swung herself out of the chair and poked dubiously at the gown. "The... neckline is a bit low..." she eventually said.

"Perhaps that's just the way I'm holding it."

"Hm, maybe," said Haru, unconvinced. But she allowed the dress to be pulled over her and tied on before making any further comments. As she stood in the full length mirror beside the cupboards, she grimaced. "Nope, I was right. The neckline is low."

Her reflection grimaced back at her, decked out in a long scarlet halter neck gown with the aforementioned low neckline and an even lower-slung back of the dress that fell almost to her waist. She moved awkwardly as if unsure how she was meant to walk in the gown.

"I am _not_ wearing this."

"You haven't got anything else to wear."

"There's the travelling dress I came in."

"Lady DuBois would not be pleased if..."

"Well I'm not going to be pleased if I have to walk into the Ball looking like some... tart!" retorted Haru. "I'm going to have to bring up the neckline at least though," she continued, as she brought her hands to her neck and tightened the straps to bring the front of the dress higher. "Horrid dress. And the colour is much too flashy."

"At least it's not yellow."

"I'm still wearing this under complaint." Haru collapsed back into the chair in front of the dressing table, and held up her head with her hands. She jumped as Yuki started to brush out the knots in her hair.

"Sorry, but the Ball is starting soon and we have to get your hair sorted out."

"Sorted out?" Haru echoed incredulously. "What's wrong with my hair?"

"Nothing. It's just... you're expected to have your hair up."

"Why – _ow!_ – do I need to have my hair up? It's fine – _ow!_ – down."

"Oh, stop being such a wuss. Look, it's the classic hairstyle..."

"Well maybe I don't _want_ to have my hair in a classic style..."

ooOoo

"There. Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Not to be overly negative, but I still don't like the dress; my head feels like it's been attacked; the make-up is stifling my face and these high-heels..." Haru staggered over to the dressing table and leant on it for much-needed support. "Well, do I need to say more?"

"You're fine..."

Haru laughed harshly and slowly straightened up to have a good look at the young woman who stared back. A blonde, blue-eyed beauty in a scarlet dress stared haughtily back. Was that really her? Even if her eyes and hair had been normal, she doubted that she would know herself. She looked... like a lady.

And she hated it.

"Now, we'll just head out to the Ball now, shall we? It'll have already started now and Lady DuBois..."

"Will be panicking as per usual," Haru finished tautly. "I haven't known her for very long, but I expect that's what she'll be doing."

"No matter. Please, Haru, we've got to keep this pretence up."

"Masquerade, more like. I suppose the only thing that would make it more fitting would be if it _were_ a masquerade." Haru paused. "It _isn't_ a masked ball, right?"

"No, don't worry. You won't have your dancing hindered by a mask," Yuki replied dryly.

"Dancing. Ha! Yeah, right."

"Just go, miss."

"Alright, alright." Haru stuttered to the door, and then looked back to the maid. "Yuki, what are you going to be doing while the Ball is on?"

The girl shrugged. "Waiting until it ends, I suppose. Lady's maids are expected to stay out of sight for these kinds of events."

"Won't you get bored?"

Again, she shrugged. "I'll probably find somewhere where I can watch the dancing. That's what I did last time there was a Ball here."

"You're sure you'll be okay?"

"I'd rather be up here than in that murderous rabble."

Haru almost fell over her crimson high-heels. "Murderous rabble?"

Yuki smiled grimly. "The nobility, as Lady Louise will often say, are very sharp with their wit. Don't cut yourself on it."

The door swung gently shut and Haru was left alone in the corridor, looking to the grand double doors at the far end where – she had been told – she would find the Ballroom. "Thanks for the encouragement," she muttered as she set down.

The Ballroom was several scales larger than the one at the DuBois Manor. Crowded with people, Haru immediately had to fight her way through the throng to find anyone she knew. Although the middle of the floor was reserved for dancing couples, the sides were filled with various nobility chattering – and presumably, gossiping. Unfortunately, the first familiar face Haru saw was Lady DuBois.

"Ah, darling, so you finally managed to join us." The older woman swept the ruffled girl into an awkward, showy embrace. "I don't believe you've had the pleasure of meeting Lady Odile." When Haru had been released, she saw that Lady DuBois was motioning to a young woman with raven-black hair and a fantastically pale complexion. "Her brother is Duke Machida."

Haru faked a smile. "How nice."

"Don't you remember my brother, Lady Louise?" the dark-haired woman asked tightly. Despite the outer appearance of amiability, the words held ice in them.

"I... don't believe I do..."

"Really? Because he remembers you."

"Oh... Is he here?" Haru asked innocently. She began to wonder what she was going to do if the Duke turned up and tried to involve her in conversation. Odile's comments weren't giving her much confidence.

"No. No, when he heard that you were coming, he... well, he turned down the invitation. Very quickly."

"How... how surprising," the true-brunette replied hoarsely, her throat going dry. It was starting to sound like this Duke was a previous suitor of Louise's.

"Well, I can see you're getting along brilliantly," Lady DuBois said forcefully. "I'll just leave you to it, shall I?"

Lady Odile smiled to the woman as she left before turning that crocodile smile to Haru. "So... how's the rat infestation going on at the DuBois manor?"

"Rat... infestation...?" she slowly echoed. Haru couldn't imagine Lady DuBois allowing any sort of infestation to take place in her perfectly ordered life, let alone rats.

"Oh, yes. I mean, that's what Machida came back talking about."

"Did he?"

"Oh yes. Rats everywhere, he said. He said that you told him all about the _terrible_ infestation that the DuBois Manor has suffered under for years and how nothing can be done about it... And then there was that rat that made it into his room... Just terrible." Lady Odile watched Haru carefully. "It was quite unfortunate that during the two days my brother was at the DuBois Manor, a rat should venture into the very room he was sleeping in. How rare do you think such an occurrence is?"

Haru stuttered for words for several seconds. "Very," she eventually concluded.

"It's even more unlucky when you consider the fact that rats were the only thing that my poor brother had an irrational fear of."

"Very," Haru repeated. "Excuse me; I think someone... over there... wants to talk to me." She smiled weakly and stumbled off in her scarlet high-heels in the direction of the opposite side of the room.

'_A rat? Louise actually put a __**rat**__ in the room? Lady DuBois had to leave me with the girl whose brother Louise scared off with a rat?'_ Haru's mind screamed as she tried to disappear into the crowds. '_Does she hate her daughter or something_?'

Unfortunately, she stumbled straight back into her 'mother's' clutches.

"And, speak of the devil, here she is! Louise, say hello to Prince Lune!"

'_Prince?_'

"Um, hello..." Haru found herself forced to face two strangers bearing family resemblance to one another. The older had distinctive mismatched eyes of red and blue; the eyes themselves furthering the individualistic nature by constantly looking in opposite directions. The younger bore the same eye colour, but – thankfully – lacked the mad-scientist look to them. It slowly dripped into her mind that she was standing before the King and his son.

"Oh, honestly; _now_ she becomes tongue-tied," Lady DuBois sighed dramatically. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty; I just don't know what's come over my daughter recently. Usually her manners are in perfect condition. _Louise, curtsy to the King_," she whispered tightly.

"Oh..." Haru did a clumsy, acceptable curtsy attempt.

Elizabeth DuBois turned to the younger of the royalty. "Do you dance, Your Highness?"

"A... bit..."

"My son has been taught from a young age the art of dancing," the King said confidently. "Lune, why don't you ask Lady Louise for a dance?"

"Oh, I don't–" Before Haru could finish, the woman to her right elbowed her painfully.

"My daughter would be delighted," Lady DuBois answered for her. "Wouldn't you, my dear?" There was an unspoken force in her words that Haru decided she didn't dare cross.

Slumping her shoulders, Haru nodded a reluctant agreement.

"Brilliant, you two can head off then..."

After being forcefully motioned in the direction of the dance floor and dutifully taking their partner in the established waltzing position, the two young adults looked apologetically at one another.

"I'm sorry for my mother's–"

"No, it's fine. My father is much the same."

"He wants a daughter-in-law?"

The Prince made a face. "Wanting a grandchild, I think was the main factor. An heir for me," he added.

"Ah." She smiled sympathetically. "So he's been throwing young ladies at you?"

"In the hope I'll fall for one of them, yes."

"It hasn't worked yet, then?"

"So far I have managed to escape."

Haru glanced down to her stationary feet. Reluctantly, she offered, "I suppose we should dance..."

"I suppose we should."

She looked up to the young royal. "I have a confession to make. I'm not very good at the whole dancing thing..."

"It's okay. Shuffle your feet a bit and everyone should be happy. I think our parents will just be ecstatic to see us talking."

Haru laughed. "I expect so."

They started to move into an awkward waltz, with Haru shuffling to follow the Prince's lead. It just about covered an acceptable waltz – for some reason, the Baron's teaching from earlier had all flown out of the window. Strange, how she could dance fine with him, and could only manage a hobbling act with someone else... She blamed it on the high-heels...

"Your mother introduced you as Lady Louise, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"_The_ Lady Louise?"

"Um... yeah, I suppose so..."

"The one who's been frightening off all suitors?"

"You're not the only one with an overeager parent to see you married," Haru mumbled back, faintly embarrassed. Just how well known was Louise?

But to her surprise, the Prince didn't seem at all bothered by it. He laughed. "You, Lady Louise, are a most unusual person."

A half-smile grudgingly slipped onto her face. "I try. I try."

"A fact that your mother doesn't appreciate, I'll bet."

"She... would like to see me walking down the aisle soon." She couldn't resist making a face at Lady DuBois's seriously off-target attempts. "Preferably into nobility."

"That's why she sent you packing onto the dance floor with me?"

"Yes. In a vain hope that I'd fall hopeless in love with you. A vain hope because it's never going to work." Her eyes widened suddenly. "I don't mean that you're not nice or anything – you're the nicest person I've come across in here so far..."

"Not that that's saying much," the Prince reminded her dryly, but his mismatched eyes betrayed his amusement.

"Yeah, but what I meant is not that I don't like you – you're a likeable person – just that I don't... well, I don't have any strong feelings for you...I'm explaining this really badly..." She trailed off miserably and promptly stumbled on her high-heels, stepping painfully on his feet. "Oh, I'm so sorry – I said that I wasn't very good..."

"It's fine." Wincing, he put some of his weight onto the injured foot. "Unfortunately, it looks like I can still dance. For a moment then, I thought you'd given me the perfect excuse to escape this masquerade."

She smiled nervously, glad that he wasn't taking her unrefined dancing skills in a bad way. "You're hating this whole affair as much as I am, aren't you?"

"Terribly so. I told my father; I said that I didn't want a 'coming-of-age' ball or anything fancy, but he just kept on ranting about the brilliant opportunity it was for meeting young women..." He shook his head at his father's foolishness and turned around the subject. "Look, what you were trying to say before you speared my foot... I understand. You're nice... and refreshingly unusual," he added with a roughish grin, "but I don't really know you."

"Thank goodness," sighed Haru. "You get it. My mother seems to expect me to fall in love at first sight and has her eyes trained on little else." Despite everything, Haru suddenly grinned and tried to stifle a laugh.

"What? What is it? What have you just thought of?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Just a thought."

"Care to share? I could do with something to make me smile."

Sheepishly, she looked over to the Prince. "You know your father...?"

"Yes, I know my father. Exceedingly well, unfortunately."

"With his eyes, do you ignore them or do you pick an eye and stand in front of it?"

Prince Lune laughed, causing several dancing couples around them to give the pair curious – and somewhat disgruntled – looks. "No one's ever asked me that before. Lady Louise, you come up with the most extraordinary questions."

Haru blushed, unsure whether that was a good thing or not. "If you say so. And, for goodness sake, drop the 'lady' part. All these formalities are doing my head in."

That roughish grin widened slightly. "Then you may call me Lune. I'll say it again; you are most unusual. Most ladies I meet 'Your Highness'd me half to death."

Haru brought her hand from Lune's shoulder and covered her mouth. "I'm sorry; should I have been calling you 'Your Highness' then?"

"Don't worry about it. Now, I think I've kept you to myself for quite long enough, it's probably time for me to hand you on to another partner."

"Actually, could you just escort me off the dance floor?" Haru asked. "I'd like to keep the invalid count to a bare minimal, please."

"Okay." As they came to the edge, Lune gave a mock bow. "It has been a pleasure dancing with you, my lady."

Haru grinned and mock curtsied back. "Likewise, Your Highness." She was having to resist chuckling as she headed back into the crowd.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in. Louise, fancy seeing you. _Again_."

Haru plastered a fake smile onto her face. "Lady Odile. The pleasure is all mine, believe me. And I believe the 'cat' you were referring to would be the Prince." She grinned evilly at the other woman's disbelieving and dismayed expression. "Oh, and before I bid you good day, isn't Odile the daughter of the villain in Swan Lake? Just asking." She didn't wait for a further comment, but disappeared into the crowd, leaving the much disgruntled young woman to her own devices.

At least, Haru's disappearing act would have looked more impressive if she hadn't needed to stumble off in her high-heels.

"Lady Louise, where would you be stalking off to?"

Haru groaned and rounded on the speaker. "Oh, this is _ridiculous_!" she exclaimed. "There must be a _tiny_ proportion of people I know here, and so far I've managed to bump into my mother _twice_, the King and Prince once, and someone who's the sister of a previously unwanted suitor also twice!"

The Baron smiled sympathetically. "It's not going as well as you thought then?"

"No, it's going _exactly_ how I thought it would. Terribly."

He refused to be put off and offered her a hand. "Come dance?"

"No, sorry. I've already filled my dancing quota for today – and after nearly crippling the Prince, I'm in no hurry to make a repeat."

"You danced beautifully back at the manor."

"I think you're exaggerating on the 'beautiful' front."

The Baron just grinned. "Okay, well you didn't disable me back there. Come on; at least if you're dancing you're not going to bump into your mother again. Or would you rather she tried to set you up with another possible young man?"

"Point made. I'm coming." She took his hand and allowed herself to be lead back to the dance floor. Without realising it, her hands moved automatically to the correct waltz position.

"So you met Prince Lune then? What did you think of him?"

"He's about the only sane one here," she replied venomously.

"Is that including me?" he asked in a mock-hurt voice.

"Well, you proved your mental state when you asked me to dance."

"Honestly, Louise, look – you're dancing already!"

And, indeed, as Haru tore her eyes away from the young noble, she saw that she was moving in time with the music with him. Granted, it wasn't quite the basic box step – they were moving more across the dance floor than the basic box step would have allowed – but still... she was _dancing_...

However, the high-heels still proved a problem as she slipped at one point and the Baron had to half-catch her to ensure she didn't completely fall over. Supported by his arms, she gingerly set her left foot back to rights and mumbled an embarrassed apology.

"Sorry... I'm not so good in high-heels either..."

"It's fine. I can't imagine they're easy to dance in."

"They're a nightmare," she said frankly.

"Are you okay? You didn't twist your ankle or anything...?"

"No, I'm a bit tougher than that." She tried to banish all thoughts of how comfy the Baron's arms were and concentrate on dancing instead. Unfortunately, her mind had its own agenda.

"I must say though," the young noble commented suddenly, "your... wardrobe choice was an interesting pick..."

"I didn't have a say in the matter."

"Lady DuBois?"

"Orchestrated the whole thing," Haru clarified gloomily. "I almost took Yuki's head off when she said I'd have to wear this... Stupid of me really; it was my mother I was angry at, not her."

"What would you have chosen if you'd been consulted then?"

Haru snorted, not caring if it were wholly undignified. "I have no idea, but it would have been _modest_, if nothing else. Not that my mother saw fit to consult me on matters of the dress or even the Ball itself..."

"Ah, so you would have been able to empathise with Lune then?"

Despite herself, Haru grinned. "It seems his father is almost more obsessed about having an in-law than my mother is."

"You say almost?"

"Because if it came to the King and Lady DuBois, my money would be on my mother."

"Oh, I don't know. The King is quite accustomed to getting his own way."

"Would you honestly like to ever cross my mother?"

The Baron considered. "Okay, no. But you should hear some of the stories Lune has about his father."

"You sound like you know him."

"Well, we've met a few times. Mostly at pointless functions like this. But he's a sensible chap – a great deal more sensible than his father, not that that's saying much. He should be a good king."

"Talking of the Prince..." Haru said slowly, watching a door slip open and then shut across the room, "I think he's just made good his escape..."

"This late into the evening? Usually he's much quicker to leave these events."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. He's very good at escaping while his father's back is turned. He'll probably be halfway to the stables by now to de-stress with a ride. I'd keep out of the King's way once he discovers his son has slipped out. Again."

"Wish I could do the same, but I can see my mother watching me."

"Why do you think that is? Have you ever tried to escape before?"

She shrugged. "Don't know. Might have. Probably have," she added after a moment's thought. She could well believe Louise had tried to slip past her mother's eagle-eyed watch before now.

The Baron paused and tilted his head at the young woman. "I never understand your answers."

Haru grinned. "That's the point. You're not meant to."

**ooOoo**

**A/N: As always, a huge thank you to all you readers for your continuing support and reviews, and I'm afraid I'm going to use this A/N to plug a personal project of mine. You see, I'm a big believer in climate change and the fact that we need to do something about it. So myself and a few friends of mine are setting up a FB page called Cheeky Climate that is attempting to bring climate change to people's attention through the use of humour and memes. You are welcome to submit your own memes/jokes and debate/discuss the issue on our page. If you could like it and help spread the word, I would be eternally grateful. **

**After all, many environmentalists are also writers. They have many LITTER RARELY qualities...**

**Okay, enough of the groan-inducing puns. Please support us when we launch our FB page this Monday. **

**God bless,**

**Cat. **


	6. Breaking Barriers

Chapter 6: Breaking Barriers

The music from the Ballroom trickled down to one of the abandoned lounges overlooking it, where a lone figure couldn't resist dancing a little in time to the beat. Dressed in a simple maid's uniform, she moved with unusual grace; humming quietly with a sweet, innocent voice.

Lady's maids weren't expected to dance. They were expected to be quiet and in the background, and dancing was not modest enough to be included in that package. Despite Lady Louise's – and Haru's – distaste to the hassle of balls (and Lady DuBois's desperate attempts to get Louise interested in a young noble) Yuki harboured a secret love of the social events. It was one of the few occasions that everyone was so caught up in their own business that they completely failed to remember the staff. The Ball had several more hours of life in it; she wouldn't have to come back down to earth just yet.

Unfortunately, fate had decided that it was time for her to be dragged down from the clouds.

"Um... excuse me...?"

Yuki froze and looked tentatively over to the quietly ajar door. "I... I..."

The young man – some young noble from the Ball – stared over curiously at the maid. "I haven't seen you around before. Are you new here?"

"I'm... I'm just a maid, sir."

To her surprise, the man walked in rather gingerly. "Sorry – I couldn't help noticing your singing and your... dancing." With a hesitant smile that he looked unfamiliar with using in such a bashful way, he added, "Your dancing is quite beautiful."

"... Thank you, sir." Her hands flew fretfully over one another as she watched him, unsure what to make of his unpredictable behaviour. He wasn't acting how she was accustomed to the usual nobility class – namely Louise's past suitors. Here he was treating her almost... almost as if they were equal. That knocked her off-balance, but something about his kindness reassured her. And it wasn't as if she received compliments from nobility often.

He walked over to the window and watched the Ball below. "You've got front row seats to the action, I see," he commented gently.

Yuki smiled weakly, still unsure what to make of him. "It's nice to see all the ladies decked out in their finery, sir. It's all so beautiful."

"Beautiful it may look, but I can promise that I'd rather face down two dozen angry crocodiles than go into that mob."

Yuki laughed, the sound breathy with nerves. "Yes, I was warning Haru today about it too."

"Haru?"

"Um..." She panicked and lied furiously, "Lady Haru, sir. She's one of the young ladies in there."

"Lady Haru? I haven't heard of her before."

"She's new, sir. And terribly naive about the whole affair."

"I pity her. Well, she'll be learning quickly down there if nothing else."

"I hope so, sir." They lapsed into listening to the music flowing from the Ballroom below for a short while before Yuki turned to the young man and asked, "You've come from the Ball, haven't you, sir?"

"Escaped, more like."

Yuki smiled wishfully. "I know that the conditions down there are... far from friendly, despite appearances, but just once it'd be nice to dress up and go to one of the dances. But it isn't my place," she added. Her current situation washed over her anew and she felt compelled to add, "Not the place of a maid, sir."

"As the stories go, Cinderella was forced to be a maid," the noble reminded her, smiling gently.

"Yes, but that's just a story, sir. Anyway, Cinderella _was_ nobility – she was just made to do the jobs of a maid. And I am somewhat lacking in the fairy godmother department." Yuki paused and added, "And Cinderella fell in love with a prince."

The man was smiling even wider now – Yuki couldn't fathom why.

"I've heard that the Prince is attending this Ball."

Yuki didn't answer immediately. This young noble's answers were confusing her and his implication was hard to miss. "But why would he fall in love with me, sir?" she asked softly. This was not her place. To even dream up such an impossibility was... mad and insane and ridiculous. It was something Haru would think of. "We've never met, and even if we had I would never be able to hold a candle up to those ladies in there."

"You're pretty," he protested.

"But not a stunning beauty," Yuki said, gesturing tiredly out to the multicolour array of dresses in the Ballroom.

"Well, they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"They also say love is blind," she gently reminded him.

"And irrational. But that doesn't stop people making a song and dance about it." He grinned. "I think we've talked enough – it's only fair now that I ask you for a dance."

The maid's eyes widened. "But, sir... I'm not a... I don't... I'm just–"

"A human being, like all those overdressed peacocks out there," he finished smoothly. "And don't you forget it. Now, Lady Maid, will you dance with me?"

"I... I shouldn't."

"Then it'll just be our little secret. What say you, Lady Maid?" He bowed, respect present in his every move. "Will you honour me with a dance?"

Yuki made to decline again, but something stopped her. Perhaps Haru's impossibility had been rubbing off on her. Perhaps it was the young man's gentle smile and the kindness of his respect for a lowly lady's maid. Perhaps it was the beauty of the evening and perhaps she felt the need, for _once_, to feel part of it. Even if it was naught more than an illusion... it was most beautiful of illusions.

A small, hopeful smile tugged at the edge of her lips. She curtsied in her simple maid dress. "It would be my honour, Sir Noble."

ooOoo

Down in the Ballroom, a raven-haired woman watched the dancing couple of 'Louise' and the Baron, her eyes narrowing viciously. Louise had always been a nasty piece of work, Odile thought sharply, remembering the jabbering wreck that her brother returned after the shockingly short visit to the DuBois Manor. He had babbled for several weeks about rats after that.

Okay, it wasn't solely because of the shock her brother had received – truth be told, she knew that Machida was equally odious and probably had deserved the rat treatment, but Louise had always annoyed her. The young blonde was pretty, witty, a good dancer... most of the things that first attracted the opposite gender, but Louise had never seemed to care. Mind you... _oh-so-perfect_ Louise wasn't up to her usual form today with the dancing front. More than once Odile had seen her stumble and need the noble dancing with her to stop her from falling. Maybe it was a trick, but it had happened a few too many times for it to be original.

A mousy brunette wandered over to the pale woman. "Odile, you look as if you're scheming..."

Lady Odile smiled wickedly to her companion. "That I am, Marina; that I am."

The newcomer looked over to where Odile's eyes were trained. "Is it to do with Lady Louise?"

"Indeed it is."

Marina watched the young blonde. "She's making a right mess out of the dance," she finally commented.

"I know. Something's up..."

"And you intend to discover it?"

"Oh, certainly. But first..." Odile's smile didn't lose any of its malice, "I think we should we should disrupt Lady Louise and her partner's cute little dance."

ooOoo

"This... is... so _embarrassing_...!" Haru muttered furiously between clenched teeth as she succeeded in stumbling twice in one step. "I'm so sorry..." she apologised profoundly as she kicked Baron... again. "If you want to find another dancing partner..."

"What? And leave you to the mercies of your mother? No fear!"

She grimaced gratefully to him. "Really, sir, you don't have to put up with this. I can quite understand–"

"I'm fine, Louise. And how many times do I have to ask you to call me Baron?"

"However many times you like, because I would rather call you Humbert than Baron."

"You still think it's conceited, don't you?"

"I just... have a little problem with those thinking they're above others."

"And yet you're happy to call me sir?"

"Habit."

"From what?"

Haru almost mentioned Mr Cesari and the bakery, but she managed to stop herself. "Doesn't matter," she mumbled. Quickly, she moved the conversation on. "Is my mother still watching?"

"Like a hawk."

"Damn."

"She doesn't look much pleased either."

"She probably thinks I'm dancing deliberately badly."

The Baron paused before asking, "_Are_ you?"

"_No_. I know I danced okay with you back at the DuBois Manor, but that was before the addition of high-heels were thrown into the mix. Now I'm just struggling to stay upright. I was okay with the Prince because I was just sort of shuffling. Waltzing in high heels seems to be a different manner." She couldn't pin her finger on it, but for some reason she found herself _wanting_ to be able to waltz with her current partner.

Not that she was about to tell him that.

"Okay, I can understand that."

As they gracelessly danced across the room – the gracelessness mostly on Haru's part, with the Baron spending most his energy on preventing her from stumbling – Haru spotted a familiar head of raven hair passing by. She had to work to keep her balance as she glanced over her shoulder to get a better look.

"What? What is it?"

"You know I mentioned that I bumped into the sister of a previous suitor earlier...?"

"Yes?"

"Well, she's still carrying a grudge and I think I've just seen her again."

"Just relax and ignore her."

"Easy for you to say. She doesn't hate _your_ guts."

"Interesting turn of phrase..."

"I find it's uncannily accurate."

"Okay, let's put it into perspective – who would you rather face, your mother or that other woman?"

The Baron's outlook on the matter made her smile. "Ooh, tricky. Can I just say I'd rather not put it to the test?"

"That's not really much of an answer."

"Well you did kind of spring the question on me."

"I think that depends on how you look at it."

"Oh, really?" Haru paused, then laughed. "Honestly, look at us; we're arguing like an old married couple."

"Your mother would be so pleased."

"Wouldn't she just?"

The Baron, however, suddenly decided to turn the conversation onto other matters. "Louise..."

"Uh-oh. Why does that sound serious?"

"I... I didn't mean it to, it's just... what happened this morning?" For the first time, he looked somewhat hesitant. "I mean, today you've just been in such a weird... changeable... mood."

"It's... well, it's complicated."

"I had guessed as much."

"Please, would you mind if you just forgot it? Today has been... taxing, to say the least. Please?"

He nodded in defeat. "Okay. But I hope in the future you'll feel able to trust me with what's troubling you."

'_If everything goes to plan – whatever the plan is – he should never find out just why 'Louise' is acting so strangely_,' Haru thought to herself. But she just gave a watery smile to him and made no movement to stop their clumsy dance. '_Shoot, it would have been so much easier if this suitor had been like Louise's previous ones. Instead I have to try and drive away the decent one..._'

"Louise?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, just lost in thought." '_For goodness sake, Haru, all he sees anyway is Louise. If I were just plain boring old Haru, he probably wouldn't give me a second glance. He's probably just thinking about the money; that's why he's putting up with me..._'

"Louise, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm..." The usual lie of 'fine' refused to come this time. "I don't know."

"Is there something bothering you?"

Haru dropped her head. "I'm– I'm sorry. It's nothing."

"Louise, if it's bothering you this much, it clearly is more than nothing. What is it?"

"It's... I mean... I was just wondering if you'd still be interested in me if I weren't... well, of noble birth..." Haru reddened at her clumsy turn of phrase. "I mean, if I weren't Lady Louise but... just plain Louise..."

He gave her a measuring look. "What's brought this about?"

She shook her head fretfully and looked away. "I said it was nothing."

"No, it's not that I just... wasn't expecting that."

Haru waited for the hollow assurances that she would struggle to believe without proof, but she got a quite different answer. A more thought-out answer.

"I would like to believe that I would not be swayed by something as vain as class difference," he told her genuinely. "I would hope that my morals were better than that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that until I am faced with just such a dilemma, I don't know exactly what I would do."

"You don't know yourself?"

He chuckled slightly. "I know the morals I live by and I hope that I would never stray from them, but at times the world gets a great deal more complicated than that."

Haru paused to take in his answer. "Out of all the answers you could have given, that wasn't one I was expecting."

"Are you okay with it?"

She tilted her head to one side thoughtfully. "I think it's the most truthful answer anyone could have given. Thank you." They waltzed past one of the buffet tables round the edge and Haru saw that black-haired woman again, this time just out of the corner of her eye. However, before she could worry, she felt the pointed heel of a shoe calculatedly connect with her right ankle just as she was moving back and completely disrupt her balance. For the next few seconds, all that she was aware of was the ceiling juddering above her as she stumbled backwards, finally collapsing into the buffet table she'd seen only half a minute ago. Something on the table was knocked over by her and split its contents efficiently over Haru's head and shoulders.

A sudden hush came over the Ballroom – Haru had no idea silence could be that contagious – as every eye in the room swivelled to the soaked woman.

Slowly Haru clambered to her feet, ignoring the stares from the crowd and the knowing laughter in Lady Odile's eyes. Haru looked down at her dress, ruined with some description of sticky pudding; the mess clinging to her hair and turning the blonde locks a muddy brown that looked closer to her true hair colour. And still the silence wouldn't break.

She stumbled away from the disarray, frustratingly shrugging off the Baron's offer to help and fleeing to the gardens outside. Her high heels were kicked off and she ran across the neatly-cut grass with bare feet; the slight wetness of dew soaking into her skin. She got as far as a small wooden bridge before stopping, and knelt in the middle, staring down at the water running half a foot below her. Her reflection shed an identical tear into the water that disturbed her reflection's image. When her reflection returned, she found herself staring down at a young woman who she didn't recognise. Even when she had looked at herself in the mirror before the Ball, she had known this wasn't here. This dressed-up young blonde, with her scarlet dress and her killer high-heels and her face plastered in make-up... this wasn't her. This would never be her. No matter how much they tried to make her look the part, she would never change. Inside she was still the same; just a poor, working class girl, and no amount of dreaming could change that.

She abruptly reached a hand down into the trickling river and attempted to wash the make-up away. Her movements became frantic as more of the make-up was brushed away. Powdery mass covered her hands as inky black strands of mascara swept down the river.

"This might be of some help."

A calm voice interrupted her and a white handkerchief appeared in her view. She paused, the mascara running like inky tear streaks down her face. She looked ashamed away. "It'll ruin it," she muttered. She could feel the mascara lines slowly making their way down her face and tracing her jaw line.

"Like that matters," the Baron scoffed, and before she could make any further comment, he knelt down beside her and gently cleared away the inky lines, like a parent cleaning up a child.

She objected for a moment, and then allowed him to clean the worst of the mascara mess off. "Sorry," she whispered.

A bittersweet smile graced his face. "It's fine." He paused and, in the dusky moonlight, took another look at the young woman. With half her make-up washed away, she looked different. More... natural. He shrugged off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders and, despite the warm summer air, she gladly accepted it. She was glad of anything to cover her up more than her dress did. She didn't even bother to tell him that the jacket was going to get pudding all over it. Somehow she knew what the answer would be.

Haru reached up with her hands to attempt to bring out the pins that kept her hair in its tight, elaborate design but, when she struggled, another pair of hands came in to help.

"Baron, you really don't need to," she protested weakly.

"Nonsense," he murmured back. Despite his lack of experience in the matter, he was able to remove the pins with hardly a wince from Haru and slowly Haru's hair fell once more about her face, framing it in the way she knew so well, despite the clumps of pudding sauce hanging to her strands.

"Thank you," she muttered.

"You're welcome." Baron couldn't help thinking that kneeling down with his jacket around her, with the make-up half cleaned off and her hair naturally down and even with the pudding still sticking to her, that she looked more at ease with herself than she had all night. And he could tell that she knew this too. He smiled at the blonde beside him. "And... thank you too."

"Me? Whatever for?"

"You finally called me Baron."

She blushed. "I suppose I did."

Several seconds passed by before he asked, "Has anyone told you just how unusual you are?"

She grinned weakly – it was so nice to see her smile again – and said, "Several times in this evening alone, actually. But I could ask you the exact same thing."

"Me? Unusual?"

"Yes, you're as unusual as they come."

"Well, we make a perfect couple then, don't we?"

"I suppose we do." She leant against him and sighed as she stared up at the cloudy sky. The stars weren't visible, but the moon could be just about seen behind half a cloud. "Thank you, Baron," she repeated gently. "I suppose I should be heading back and clean myself up." That weak smile returned. "My mother is going to be hysterical."

"Isn't she always?"

To her surprise as she rose to her feet he did the same.

"Lady Louise, would you do me the pleasure of allowing me to escort you back inside?"

She patted his hand. "I can manage."

"I must insist."

She laughed. "Okay, if it'll make you happy." She suddenly received the impulse to lean towards him and found herself following it to place a quick kiss on his cheek. "You're a blessing, Baron; I hope you know that."

In the background, the Palace bell chimed twelve.

ooOoo

Across the Palace, another couple heard the bell chime, but it didn't go unnoticed this time.

Yuki jumped away from the noble, her eyes wide. "Have we really been dancing for that long?"

"Apparently so."

The maid hurried over to the window and looked over to the Ballroom. "I probably should start thinking about heading back to the carriage..."

"Why? The Ball usually goes on into the small hours of the morning..."

Suddenly Yuki was hurrying across the room, back towards the door. "Yes, but I doubt the people I'm waiting for will be here that long. The usual agreement is she has to stay until midnight before her mother will allow her to leave. I really should be going."

The young man grabbed her hand. "Please, give me a name at least."

She looked frightfully at him, but his hold on her was gentle. If she wanted, she could break free. "Fine. I'm..."

Eyes.

It was at that moment that Yuki realised the man's unusual eyes – somehow she'd failed to notice them before now, but they were a mismatched red and blue.

The eyes of the royal family.

"I... I'm..." she began to stutter and stepped away from him, breaking away from his hold, and did an abrupt curtsy. "I'm sorry Your Highness for wasting your time..."

"Please, don't..."

"I'll be going now," she hastily added and before the Prince could react, she had disappeared through the doors at the far end of the room. Lune stared after the vanished maid.

"I didn't even get a name," he lamented to the empty room.

**ooOoo**

**A/N: Just a quick note - I've recently set up a forum for this fandom, since we seem to be a pretty quiet lot in terms of forums, called "The Sanctuary" that is an open and active forum to discuss (or fangirl/boy over) The Cat Returns. If you want to pass some time (and the holidays are coming up, so I hope you will) then drop by and take a gander. I know this fandom is a friendly bunch, so I'm hoping this might open up some conversations between people. (You might even learn something new about TCR!)**

**God Bless,**

**Cat.**


	7. Defying Gravity

_Something has changed within me; something is not the same;_

_I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game._

_Too late for second guessing; too late to go back to sleep._

_It's time to trust my instincts, to close my eyes and leap!_

_It's time to try defying gravity_

x

Chapter 7: Defying Gravity

"Haru!"

Haru, with the eye droplet delicately poised above her eye, jumped and promptly poked herself with it. "Ow... yes, Yuki?" She blinked rapidly and looked over to the maid. "Could you try to announce your presence a little more discreetly next time?"

From behind Yuki, Toto stepped inside and coolly shut the door. "And could you try to remember to address her as Louise? We don't need half the household asking questions," he reminded flatly.

Yuki's pale features reddened. "Sorry. Toto and I have been sent up to tell you that Lady DuBois has organised a day out to Lake Calla."

"Oh, really? When?"

"Today."

Haru nearly prodded her other eye with the droplet. "What?"

"She's asking you to be ready in half an hour."

"She doesn't believe in giving someone forewarning, does she?" Haru growled as she moved out of the dressing table chair, giving a last look at her reflection. "Oh, and damn it all, now my right eye looks white!"

"Do you need some help?"

"I'll just have to hope that no one looks at my eyes too closely... I don't see what else can be done. Half an hour, you said?"

Yuki nodded.

"Okay. Toto, go and tell Lady DuBois that I will be down when I'm ready and not a moment before."

He nodded and left the two girls in Louise's room. Haru wandered over to Louise's extensive – and frankly, _exhaustive_ – wardrobe and started rooting through it. To her side, Yuki began helping.

"Lady DuBois suggested that you wear this outfit today." With these words, the maid pulled out a satin blue dress and a pair of matching high-heels.

"What is it with Lady DuBois and high-heels?" Haru murmured to herself before taking the dress and shoes out of Yuki's hold and firmly replacing it in the wardrobe. "No. _No way_. We're going to the _beach_, for goodness sake, not another dance. For a day out at the beach, you need something... a little studier. _And_ sensible shoes, for crying out loud."

"But Lady DuBois will think it strange if you don't..."

"I'm sure she's all too used to not understanding her daughter. Now... _this_ looks better..." Haru brought out a plain, almost peasant-styled, dress of a subtle blue – paler than the dress Yuki had taken out – and reaching several inches below her knees.

"But that's one of Louise's travelling dresses–"

"And it will do just fine for a day out to the lake," Haru finished. She fished around at the bottom and brought out a simple pair of dark, flat shoes. "And so will these. Please don't expect me to go to the lake wearing high-heels or the underskirt; you and I both know it is never going to happen. It's much too warm out today for an underskirt anyway. And," she added smoothly, holding the dress against her and taking a look in the full length mirror, "with any luck, Lady DuBois will just think I'm doing this to try and put off Baron."

"Do you think it'll work?"

"Well, Lady DuBois is probably accustomed to a variety of Louise's attempts to scare away suitors..."

"I meant with the Baron. And since when did you start calling him Baron?"

"Since... I mean..." Haru looked a little flustered. "Does it matter? I suppose it must have just slipped out."

"Do you think it'll have any effect on the Baron?" pressed Yuki.

"It... might do. Well, I don't know, do I?" Haru moved briskly across the room, pulling the dress on and tying the ribbon neatly at her back. Yuki sighed and moved to do it for her when the bow loosely fell out.

"Aren't you even going to have a corset?"

"No. You know what I think of those terrible contraptions. And no slips either for that matter. Certainly not in this summer weather."

"I would try and dissuade you, but I'm beginning to get the feeling that won't work."

Haru laughed and smiled at her refection. "I'm glad to see I'm finally getting my point across." She slipped into the simple shoes and deemed her appearance to be acceptable – and more to the point, her. "Shall we head downstairs then?"

"Hang on, give me a moment." Yuki dove into the wardrobe and dragged out a familiar, wide-brimmed hat; dunking it on Haru's head before she could protest. "There, now you look a little more Louise-like."

Haru went gently cross-eyed as she watched the front brim slowly fall before her face. Lifting a hand to the hat, she tilted it up. "This is just impractical."

Yuki righted it. "It's fine."

"Is this really what being a lady is all about? Wearing impractical shoes, impractical clothes, and impractical accessories? Is there anything even _remotely_ practical in Louise's wardrobe?" Haru complained loudly. With a huff she shoved the hat out of her face, but didn't take it off.

"Well, if you remember, you _did_ agree to taking her place," a dry voice said from the doorway.

"I wasn't aware there was small print," Haru continued to grumble. However, another thought hit her mind and she grinned over at the man. "Hey, Toto, how did your date with the real Louise go?"

"It wasn't... I mean, what makes you think it was a date?" he spluttered.

Haru grinned at his rare loss of composure. "Oh, nothing. By the way, if I'm going to Lake Calla with my mother and Baron, you could technically have the day off."

"Lady DuBois will start to think I'm slacking if I take two days off in a row."

"Oh, go on; live a little! I know you're sick of babysitting me. No," she swiftly added as Toto made to comment, "I know it's true, so don't try to deny it. And I know you enjoyed yesterday." She smiled knowingly as she moved past him and exited the room. "I heard you humming this morning."

ooOoo

"Oh, Louise, must you always be this difficult?"

Haru just smiled as she got out of the carriage. She had carefully chosen to inform Lady DuBois of her lack of spare clothes to change into from her travelling ones when they arrived at the lake. This way there wasn't anything she could do about it.

Well, apart from minor hysterics.

"No, Mother, I don't have to. It's a personal decision of mine." Haru sighed and happily bathed in the sun's rays as she took a few steps towards the beach at the edge of Lake Calla, ignoring the steam rising off Lady DuBois. "Well, more of a hobby, really."

She continued to ignore the older lady's irritation as the rugs, tables and chairs were set out and food was brought in by a local restaurant, choosing deliberately to sit on the rug instead of one of the chairs offered. Lady DuBois pouted slightly, but much to Haru's surprise, Baron sat down beside her, also forsaking the chairs. This left the older woman being the only occupant on any of the seats. Yuki hovered anxiously at the edge.

"Of, for goodness sake, Yuki, take a chair. It won't bite," Haru offered.

The maid glanced at the chairs. "I'm fine," she muttered, and continued to stand.

"Where's your consort?" Lady DuBois asked out of the blue. "He wasn't around last evening either. Is he sick?"

"Nope, I just insisted that he take a few days off."

"Why? Louise, we pay him to do a job..."

Haru rolled her eyes and picked at the salmon dish before her. '_Salmon again? Does Louise's mother have a fetish for the fish?_' "I'm fine with him taking a day off."

Lady DuBois suddenly groaned. "Oh, he's not lovesick, is he? Please tell me he's not in love with that woman you mentioned earlier."

"Mother, it's fine," Haru stressed.

"But really..."

Haru jumped to her feet, sick of the conversation already. "I'm going down to the shore. If you're okay with getting your feet wet, you're welcome to join." The last comment was directed at Baron more than Lady DuBois. Not that it would have mattered. Haru received the distinct impression Lady DuBois would only do something as unladylike as that in the month of Sundays.

"Louise, you'll get your shoes ruined!"

Haru grinned wickedly and kicked her flat shoes off, now running only in her bare feet. "Now I won't!"

"Louise? _Louise_!"

Laughing evilly, Haru ran down to the shore, ignoring Lady DuBois's cries for 'Louise' to behave. She dipped her toes into the water, laughing as the waves lapped over her feet.

"You are _mad_!" a familiar voice called as the owner of the voice ran over to her.

"I wouldn't say that. Just living the moment." Haru turned around and smiled at Baron. "Surely you can't reprimand me for such a _little_ thing."

"Actually, I was thinking more of your fatal obsession with irritating your mother."

"Hm, you might just have a point there." Haru picked a flat pebble off the ground and weighed it up in her palm. "Although it hasn't killed me yet."

"Give it time."

Haru brought back her arm and threw the pebble across the smooth waters' surface, watching it skim several times before sinking into the lake's depths. "I've given it nineteen years." She leant down and picked up another stone. She rolled it in her palm, feeling the smooth touch of stone against her hand.

"You can skim stones?"

"Haven't I just proved that point?" Haru asked, smiling wanly.

"Sorry; it's just I can't imagine your mother teaching you."

"I have a father," she said by way of answer. She had no idea what 'Mr DuBois' was like, but he couldn't be any worse than his wife. "What about you?" The stone was sent flying across the lake.

Baron picked up a pebble and felt the weight of it in his hand. "It was just one of those things that I never... got around to learning."

Haru looked over at the pebble he had. "Well, first, that stone you've got is totally wrong for the job. You need a flat one, like..." As she spoke, she removed the one he was holding and skimmed her eyes over the stones in the shallow realm of the lake. "Like this one." She fished a stone out and tossed it to him. "If it's not flat, it won't skim the surface right."

He grinned gingerly. "Well, that's my first mistake amended."

"Hey, it's understandable. Actually, you're not holding it right either."

"Wrong stone, wrong hold; honestly, I'm not doing a very good job so far."

"Would you stop complaining? If you can teach me to dance, then I can jolly well teach you to skim stones. Look..." Haru took his hand, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, and righted his hold on it. "That's better. Now you throw it."

Baron looked doubtfully at the ordinary – if flat – looking stone before bringing his arm back and tossing it into the lake.

It sank like its namesake.

Haru stared at the spot where the stone had disappeared, trying to keep a straight face. Eventually a snigger broke loose. "Want another go?" she finally asked.

"Yes please."

"Here. And hold it like I told you."

"Yes ma'am."

"When you let go of it, you sort of do a flicking motion... like this." Haru took another stone for herself and skimmed it across the lake, grinning to herself as it leapt across the water thrice before finally sinking.

"When you do it, you make it look so easy," Baron grumbled good-naturedly. He fiddled with the pebble in his gloved hands, trying to find the correct hold.

"It's just practice," Haru assured him. She watched him change his hold on the pebble several times over before deciding to step in. "Look, you hold the edges like this..." she told him, placing her hand on his and altering the position of his hand. "I don't know what others do, but I usually hold it between my thumb and middle finger. Yes, like that." Again, her heart sped up at the contact between them. She discarded it.

Several more pebbles sunk gracelessly at Baron's hand before – by fluke, or maybe by Haru's tuition – a stone skimmed once across the lake. Haru had to smile at Baron's boyish delight at his success – however minimal – and laughed alongside him.

"Honestly, Baron; you're worse than a child at Christmas," she mocked gently.

"Oh, and now you tease me for being happy?"

"I tease you for acting like a schoolboy," she returned coolly, but the smile flickered at the edge of her lips still.

"A schoolboy, eh?" A wicked smile of his own appeared.

"Whatever you're thinking of doing..." Haru started carefully, but her words erupted into a squeal when she was deliberately splashed. Running, laughing, she rushed along the shoreline; ignoring whatever nonsense Lady DuBois was shouting her way, and sprinting along the shallows of the lake. Behind her, she heard Baron shouting at her – whenever he could get a word said between his own laughter – and the promise of dunking her when he caught up.

At one point on the shore sat a simple boat, looking half abandoned as the shore lapped at its underside. Haru attempted to skirt round it, but instead managed to trip and fall headfirst into the bow of the boat. With her feet dangling out of the side and her eyes looking up at the sky, the familiar face of Baron entered her field of vision.

"Well, Lady Louise; you've put up a pretty chase."

"Help me up, moron," she answered, but the grin still remained.

"What was that? Push the boat out into the lake?" he asked back, putting on a mock air of confusion. "Why, certainly, Lady Louise. Your every wish is my command."

"No, Baron; don't you dare!" she shouted back, biting back her laughs. "Don't you even think about it! No, don't you... Don't you dare!" Her pleas were left unanswered as the keel was pushed out of the rocky shallows and broke loose into the deeper waters.

Haru scrambled to her knees; bringing her kicking legs inside the boat and deciding to glare at the young noble instead. "You're evil, Baron."

Baron was still standing beside the boat, despite the fact that his crisp grey suit was submerged in the water from the waist down; one hand on the side of the vessel to ensure it didn't capsize. He shook his head mock-disapprovingly. "Honestly Louise, you've got to be nice to me. Unless, of course, you'd rather swim back to the shore."

Haru leant over the side of the boat and glared at him. "You wouldn't dare."

A gleam entered Baron's emerald eyes; a gleam that made Haru doubt her previous statement. "Wouldn't I?"

She decided to call his bluff. "Nope."

"Actually, you're right. I wouldn't." He paused, and that gleam returned. "Not before we're in deeper waters, anyway," he added mischievously and pushed the boat further out. When they reached the stage where Baron could no longer reach the floor of the lake he started to rock the sides of the boat, ignoring Haru's loud – if amused – protests.

"No... No, don't you dare! Don't you even think about it! No, I am warning you...!"

He paused and looked over the side of the boat, to see a laughing Haru gripping for dear life at the sides of the boat. "You're warning me what?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead yet."

"Then I guess you'll just have to improvise," he returned and neatly tipped the boat over.

Haru fell into the cool depths of the lake and bobbed back up to the surface, spluttering and giving her companion evil looks. "I hate you," she told him simply.

He grinned back. "I know."

Haru swam to the upturned boat and leant on the wooden bow, continuing to give the young noble disapproving looks. He swam along the other side and, also leaning on it to even it out, met her gaze undauntedly.

"Well, that was fun."

For several seconds she shook her head disbelievingly at him; words struggling to make their way past her throat. "You wait until we're back on dry land," she finally threatened. "I am going to bury you up to your _neck_ in sand."

"You'll have to get to shore first."

"I _can_ swim, thank you very much." Haru struggled to keep her annoyance up; the gentle waves of the lake lapping against her and lulling her muscles into a relaxed state. Giving in, she eventually sighed and leant fully against the boat and looked out to the shore. "My mother is screaming herself hoarse, isn't she?" she noted absent-mindedly.

"I think she's screaming at you to come back in before you catch your death of cold," Baron offered. He paused and listened to Lady DuBois's enraged shouting. "Something about 'unladylike behaviour' too?"

Haru now grinned maliciously. "Oh good. I'd better stay here for a while longer then."

"You really like getting on your mother's nerves, don't you?"

"Oh yes." Haru returned her gaze to the Baron who was still floating beside the boat in his morning suit. After a moment, she commented, "Your clothes are ruined."

"They'll survive."

"What kind of idiot are you to come to the beach in a morning suit anyway?" she asked, making a face.

"The kind of idiot that was dressed before Lady DuBois informed the household of the decision to visit Lake Calla," Baron answered briskly. "Believe me, this isn't my average outfit for a day out to the beach."

Haru smiled gently, still enjoying the lull of the waves. "You're nothing like I expected," she said quietly.

"And what did you expect?"

"Some stuck up noble," she answered loosely. "Some sort of pampered mummy's boy with not an ounce of common sense between the ears. Those kinds of clichés."

"Well then, I'm glad I'm not what you expected."

"Hm," Haru answered in a non-committed type of tone. She couldn't help thinking that the task of being Louise would be a lot easier if he _had_ been what she'd been expecting.

Baron waited for Haru to add something, before finally asking, "Louise... is everything alright?"

"I... Yeah, of course it is." Her assurances were hollow, and they both knew it.

Baron didn't even try to pretend this time that he believed her. "Is it about yesterday?"

"A lot happened yesterday. Which particular bit would you be thinking about?"

That gentle smile she had been falling in love with over the past few days flitted over Baron's face. He leant forward and, moving his hand to her face, cradled her cheek. "Well, which bit do you remember?"

Haru's head made half a motion to move away; torn between the instinct to back off and the realisation that his touch was comforting. How things stood though, she made a half-hearted effort to throw him off; an effort that didn't work. "Well, I remember the journey down to the palace, and dancing with the Prince and... you," she mused quietly. A heartbeat passed between them before she added, "I remember our dance at the DuBois mansion."

She wished her heart wouldn't flip every time he smiled at her like that.

"I'm glad you do, because so do I. Do you remember the event following our dance at the palace?"

Haru attempted a snort of indifference, but it didn't quite come out the way she wanted. "If you mean the incident with a certain pudding, I would have to admit that the episode is still clear in my mind."

"Actually, I was referring to our meeting after that," he said gently. "I wanted to know if... well, if..."

Haru smiled at him, trying to hide the nerves bubbling so very close to the surface. "What is this I see? The great Baron Humbert von Gikkingen lost for words?"

His soft smile split into a rueful grin. "You know, you're not making this any easier for me."

"Sorry." Haru bit her lip and raised her hand to cover the gloved hand resting against her cheek. "You wanted to know something?"

"I wanted to know whether... well, whether that evening held any meaning for you. Whether, to be more specific, the time _we_ spent together held any meaning."

"Why do you want to know?" Haru asked quietly.

Were her eyes deceiving her, or was the young man opposite her – usually so in control of everything – blushing?

"I would like to know whether you felt something between us back then too."

Haru blushed a deep scarlet, but didn't drop her hand away from his. "Oh, Baron... you have no idea who you're falling for," she murmured.

"I know exactly who I'm falling for," he insisted. His emerald eyes lit up as the need to convince her entered his voice. "Look, I know you don't think you're anything like the other ladies of the court, but what makes you think I'm _interested_ in someone like the ladies of the court?"

"It's not just that..."

"Then what is it? Why can't you give us a chance?"

Haru shook her head. "Baron, we've only known each other for a couple of days..."

"Tell me you don't feel something between us."

Haru looked over to the young noble and no words came. But her silence said enough.

"Louise, if we don't give this a chance, we'll never know."

"Perhaps it's better that way," she answered hoarsely.

"Isn't it worth the risk?" he whispered back.

Haru shook her head and brushed Baron's hand away. "Forget me, Baron. Find some nice lady and fall in love again. I'm not the girl for you."

"Don't I get a say in that?" he murmured in the same tone. He left his side of the boat to swim round to her side. "I know it's early days, Louise, but something tells me you're different." One hand subconscious rose to brush the true-brunette's cheek. A meaningful flush rose to the girl's skin at the contact. "And these last few days have been... fun." He laughed, despite the situation. "I never thought I'd say that about a court-function ball, but there it is. Louise, I'm only staying here for a week. Give _us_ a chance, and if it doesn't work out, you can say so and I'll go and you won't ever have to see me again. You've got to risk a little sometimes."

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," Haru whispered, but she was all too aware that their faces were close.

He grinned regardless. "Love is foolish, love is blind and love is reckless and you know what? I'm willing to risk it. The question is, are you?"

Haru blushed further and looked away. What was it Louise had told her? Something along the lines of not agreeing to any matchmaking schemes? And even if she did, when Louise returned to her proper place Baron would have to live with the girl he thought he knew suddenly changing and rejecting him.

"To say yes... would just be cruel," she murmured; again her voice had gone hoarse. "It would be leading you on when there's no possibility of us working out." Her head was hammering a heady pace at the reduced distance between their faces. When had that happened?

"I never understand your answers."

Haru smiled weakly with the sure knowledge that her heart was finally suffocating the warning her mind was screaming out. What were the reasons why she shouldn't fall in love, again? "That's the point," she found herself replying softly. "You're not meant to."

Her mind finally surrendered all control to the heart and suddenly she was leaning in to place a kiss on his lips.


	8. Scheming

Chapter 8: Scheming

"Oh, I would stay away from the stables today, miss," Yuki advised Haru as the true-brunette started to make her way to the door to the DuBois's grounds.

"Why ever not? Is something going on?"

The pale maid shrugged her shoulders lightly. "There's a bit of a commotion outside. Toto appears to have picked a fight with one of the staff the Baron hired."

Haru paused. "One of Baron's staff? I didn't know he'd brought anyone along."

"Just one person. A man by the name of Muta."

The woman in lady attire grinned wickedly. "Fighting with Toto?"

"That's what I said."

"I've got to see this." Without losing the wicked grin, she slipped outside and made her way to the stables.

The shouting could be heard almost as soon as she slipped outside.

"Well at least I haven't got a birdbrain!"

"That's rich, coming from a marshmallow like you!"

Grinning, she followed the insults.

Indeed, Haru had met the man Yuki had called Muta before – he had been the driver for the carriage for Haru and Baron's first unofficial meeting. At the time though, she hadn't quite realised his true girth – a matter, it appeared, Toto was taking advantage of. The two of them were confronting the other, but as of yet, no blood appeared to have been shed.

To her surprise, Haru saw the familiar form of Baron standing to the side, watching the proceedings with interest. She joined him at the sidelines.

"What's the argument about?"

The man shook his head, chuckling a bit. "Haven't a clue."

They watched the two grown men continue to shout at one another for a while longer before Haru commented, "Should we do something about it?"

Baron laughed fully this time. "I've been watching for a while – while they seem happy to thrown insults, _physical_ violence doesn't seem to be on the agenda."

"And that makes it all better, I suppose?"

"Are you volunteering to break them up?"

Haru grinned. "Point made. I must say, though, that your man must be very good at getting on Toto's nerves. I've only known one other person to get on his nerves, although not to this extent."

Baron looked down at the young woman. "Who?"

She turned her grin to him. "Me."

He chuckled. "I can't imagine you being that annoying."

"Really? Even after twenty suitors?"

Baron paused. "Okay, maybe I _can_ believe it."

Haru turned her gaze back to the bickering duo with an amused expression, the expression partially caused by Baron's answer, and partially caused by the two grown-ups arguing like two children before her. Two days had come and gone since their outing to the beach – the outing that had changed everything for Haru. Lady DuBois had been in a despicably cheerful mood following that day trip; Haru gained the impression she believed that fateful trip down the aisle was all too close. If Lady DuBois wasn't painfully aware of her daughter's stubborn streak, she might have already begun planning out the details, but the 'm' word hadn't been mentioned once.

Well, not in Haru's earshot, anyway.

For Haru and Baron, life hadn't changed drastically. Haru had pulled the reins on their relationship so they were more like good friends right now, but still she couldn't forget their kiss out on the lake. From the looks they shared, she guessed neither could he. Their friendship was none the worse for it somehow and Haru even gained the impression that it had strengthened. She remembered being told once that when you moved onto a relationship the friendship was lost, but that didn't seem to be the case here.

Toto, of course, had hit the roof on hearing about the kiss and, until he had been distracted by Muta's inexhaustible potential to argue, had kept a close eye on the pair. The result of this had been that Haru and Baron hadn't had a private moment since the kiss. However, right now he seemed rather preoccupied.

"While they're still arguing, what say you to going down to the kitchens and getting a cup of tea?" offered Baron in a stage whisper.

"Ooh, how rebellious," Haru replied dryly, but she was grinning over at her companion. "Would it be your special blend you're offering?"

"Of course."

From the DuBois mansion, a commotion made itself heard. Haru could hear Lady DuBois screeching something at the maids.

The young woman sighed. "Save the tea for another time, Baron; it sounds like something's going on back at the house. You owe me a cup of tea though," she laughed as she headed back to the main building. The noise appeared to have stirred even Toto and Muta from their bickering.

As Haru entered the mansion, she was directed by various servants to the front door – not that she needed to be, not with her 'mother's' loud voice issuing orders from the front. As she skidded to the source of the noise, she found herself coming face-to-face with the crown prince.

The young royal was being ushered inside by Lady DuBois – the woman was ordering servants to get lunch together on the table for an extra person – and appeared slightly overwhelmed by the impact of his appearance on the lady.

"Mother, don't scare the poor guy," Haru sighed, taking Lune's arm reassuringly and guiding him out of her 'mother's' extensive reach. "I expect he's had a long journey down here and doesn't need a fuss being made."

"That would be much appreciated," Lune agreed.

"Of course, Your Highness," simpered Lady DuBois. She sent evils her 'daughter's' way as she curtsied, all the while ordering Haru to follow her example with her eyes.

Haru rolled her own eyes; the action caught by the Prince if his smile said anything.

"Is there a reason for your visit, or is this just a spur of the moment action?" she asked the young man politely.

"Louise, you can't just ask the Prince that!" hissed Lady DuBois, still in the action of a curtsy.

"Can't I?" Haru replied curiously.

"It's quite alright," reassured Lune to the distressed woman. "Your daughter's straight-forwardness is quite refreshing. My father... _suggested_ that I spend the afternoon with one of the young ladies that attended the ball last Monday," he explained, mostly directing his words to Haru. "And so, here I am."

"Yes, well I'll leave you two to talk," Lady DuBois said, patting the two young people on the back and gently – by nonetheless, forcefully – pushed them into one of the lounges near the entrance of the house. "I'm sure you've got a lot to catch up on..."

The two of them allowed themselves to be guided into the room without fuss, if with an air of defeat. Lady DuBois did leave them in the room alone, although a few seconds they were joined by the Baron.

"Lune, I heard you had arrived. Good journey down?"

"Yes." The Prince looked around fugitively before adding in a whisper, "Is she gone?"

"Lady DuBois? Yes, I saw her heading off to terrorise more of the staff."

The young royal visibly relaxed. "Thank goodness. I wouldn't put it past her to listen at the door."

Interested, Haru took a seat. Baron followed her lead. "I take it then that there is another reason for your visit?" the true-brunette asked calmly.

"I wasn't lying when I said my father suggested that I spend the afternoon here," Lune admitted. "Well, his exact words were something along the lines of being 'sick of my lack of interest in all the babes at the ball' and 'I should pull my socks up,' but with him, that more or less comes to the same thing. At least he'll be satisfied that I'm spending time with a lady. Sorry for pulling you into family affairs."

Haru waved it away, smiling slightly. "Don't worry, just as long as you're fine with being dragged into _mine_."

"Was that the only reason you chose to visit Lady Louise?" Baron inquired politely.

The Prince began to look rather rueful. "Well, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't the _only_ reason. You're the only lady at the ball that I really found I could talk to, so I thought you might be my best option."

"Best option for what?" Baron insisted.

Lune smiled. "Don't worry Baron; I'm not competition." Before either could make to protest, he continued smoothly with, "I thought Lady Louise might be my best option out of all the ladies to give some advice, that was all. And maybe to tell me who Lady Haru is."

At that moment, Haru found herself very grateful that Baron had never got around to making the tea, since if she'd been holding a cup she surely would have dropped it. As things stood though, her hand only twitched, as if making up for the lack of cup. "Lady Haru?" she repeated hoarsely. "Why ever would you be looking for someone by that name?"

"Well, I'm not looking for her specifically, but rather a maid in her service," Lune said eagerly, mistaking her response for knowing _Lady_ Haru. "Do you know her?"

Haru paused.

"No," she lied. "Never heard of anyone by that name." She looked to the young noble who had taken a seat to her side. "What about you, Baron?"

He also shook his head. "As far as I know, there is no Lady Haru. Are you sure you have the right name?"

"Very sure. But maybe you haven't met her yet – the maid said that Lady Haru was new to court functions and suchlike. I was just hoping that you'd know her..."

"You said you were looking for a maid," Baron picked up, regarding the young royal calmly. "Why, exactly?"

To Haru's amusement, Lune took on a nervous air and ran his hands together gingerly. "You're going to think I'm really naive... but at the ball on Monday, I met a young maid and... we talked and danced. And..."

"And you like her!" finished Haru, laughing.

Lune reddened. "Yeah," he muttered. "But she never gave her name and all I have is the name Lady Haru – who, according to you, doesn't exist."

"We never said she didn't exist," Baron put in quickly. "Just that we didn't know her. Perhaps she really is new and we just haven't met her yet."

"I've checked through the records of noble families though and there is _no_ Lady Haru," Prince Lune told them. "I was asking you in the hope that you might prove the records wrong, but evidently not. I can only assume that the maid didn't want to be found..."

The depressed note in Lune's voice was painfully audible.

"Lune, I'm sure that's not the case," she reassured quietly. "I mean, what girl _wouldn't_ fall for you?"

There was an awkward pause as their conversation from the ball came back to them.

"I mean," she amended with an embarrassed scoff, "what other girl, _apart from me_, wouldn't fall for you? You're sweet, and sensible, and not all too bad looking either – and that's high praise from me." Haru paused. "I should probably stop talking now."

"No, Louise, I know you're just trying to help. But it's clear that I'm just chasing dead ends here."

Lune moved to get up, but Haru suddenly grabbed his wrist, a thought suddenly hitting her. "Wait, what did the maid look like?"

"Well... she had these most amazing blue eyes... they were closer to azure, no, to _sapphires_... and they were just so... _beautiful_. Her hair is this stunning pale blonde colour and her skin... You know the phrase 'white as milk'? It's just like that! She's initially shy, but has this really good, underlying sense of humour. She's smart as well; she's not just beautiful and..." His face fell. "And I've got it really bad, haven't I?"

"Yep. 'Fraid so."

Lune groaned and let his head fall into his hands. "Great."

"Don't give up though," Haru insisted, putting out a hand to pat his arm.

"What's the use? It's obvious that this is never going to work..."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," the young lady replied slyly.

Baron smiled wanly. "I guess that look in your eye means you're planning something."

She grinned back at him and turned to Lune. "You bet I am. Your Highness–"

"Please, forgo the 'Your Highness' bit."

"Whatever. Lune, I think I know who your mystery girl is." Haru waved a hand away before Lune could interrupt. "No, don't ask. I've got a few things to sort out first before I can confirm that I've got this right, but I've got a plan."

Haru couldn't help grinning at how Lune leant in at that promise. "I'm listening."

"Organise another ball. If it is who I think it I, I think I can talk the girl into going."

"You _think_?"

"Just tell me when you can next get a ball organised for!" Haru ordered, not caring whether she was ordering around the crown prince.

"Oh, okay. My father will be over the moon if he hears me asking for another ball... With his good will on our side... maybe Sunday?"

"That soon?"

Lune shrugged. "My father has organising balls down to a fine art. Or rather, the organisers that he _orders_ to organise the ball have it down to a fine art."

"Get it sorted out and I promise you, if I can get the girl to agree, she'll be there."

"I... Thanks. How can I ever...?"

"Thank me? Quite simple; don't. The last thing my mother needs is encouragement on the idea that I could marry into the royal family." Haru grinned again, quite pleased with herself. "And if that is all..."

"Well, that's all that I wanted to talk to you about, but my father won't be expecting me back until later..."

"With all due respect, Lune," Baron put in, who hadn't contributed much to Haru and Lune's frantic scheming, "I doubt your father is going to mind that if he receives the impression that you've fallen for someone."

"Good point." Now fidgety with eagerness, Lune snatched his jacket off the back of the chair and rose to his feet. "You don't mind if I..."

Haru waved to the door openly. "It's fine. Just... be discreet in leaving. If my mother finds you on your way to the exit, it'll take you another half hour before you get away from her."

The young royal grinned. "Thanks."

The door swung shut behind him, leaving only Haru and Baron sitting together in the otherwise empty room. As the door clicked shut, Baron turned to Haru, an amused look present in his emerald eyes. "I just don't understand you sometimes."

"Is there a reason this time?"

"I can't believe that _you_, who are so against the idea of arranged or forced marriage, are scheming to match the Prince with someone."

"You saw how he was – it's obvious he already has deep feelings for the girl. Don't worry – I'm going to talk to the maid before doing anything rash."

The Baron raised an eyebrow. "And you don't call _that_ anything rash?"

Haru scoffed and rose to her feet, stretching her limbs after the previously sedated conversation. "Well, maybe rash promises, but if I can at least get to know what Yuki thinks..."

Baron got to his feet and moved before Haru. "Wait, wait, wait – the maid is _Yuki_? _Your_ maid?"

Smiling slyly, Haru sidestepped Baron and moved closer to the door. "Well, if the shoe fits..."

Again, Baron moved in front of Haru. "You have no proof that it's her. You could be making a big mistake."

"Pale hair, pale skin, blue eyes... Does it sound familiar?"

Baron looked down at the young lady, humour tracing his features. "Says the blue-eyed blonde."

Haru huffed, realising she'd forgotten her current appearance. "I know it's Yuki. It's just got to be!"

"Lune said that the maid told him she was in the service of Lady Haru," pointed out Baron, keeping a hand on Haru's shoulder to stop her walking around him this time.

"He _also_ said that according to the records, there isn't anyone by that name."

"Why would Yuki lie?" demanded the young noble, unwilling to let this go. "Why would she tell him that she was employed by a Lady Haru?"

"Maybe..." Haru trailed off, unable to find an answer that wouldn't put herself or the quiet maid into trouble.

Baron smiled sadly. "You haven't got an answer for that, have you?"

The true-brunette huffed again and shrugged away his hand. "Let us at least _ask_ her. If this is a mistake then she'll say so and you'll know you're right. But Yuki deserves to know how he feels about her." She sighed and let her expression melt into a soft smile. "Like you said, you've got to risk a little sometimes. This could work out so perfectly if it works." Her smile widened. "If you help, I'll even agree to be your dance partner for the ball."

He smiled back at her. "Now there's an offer I can't refuse. Can you give the high-heels a miss this time though?"

Haru snorted in a wholly undignified manner. "Certainly, if I'm lucky enough to get any say in the matter this time."

ooOoo

The pale maid was surprised when the Baron and Haru came and sought her out – or maybe 'unceremoniously dragged' was a better phrase – from the kitchens. They didn't get very far before bumping into Lady DuBois, at which the elder lady immediately demanded to know where the Prince was and after hearing that he had departed, wasted very little time in letting the entire mansion know her deep and everlasting sorrow that her own daughter should turn him out of doors so soon.

Haru, however, wasted just as little time in ending the woman's tirade with a few comments of her own and without waiting for Lady DuBois to pick up the argument (which it had the potential to rapidly deteriorate into if allowed) Haru had dragged the other two down the hallway. Once they had lost the woman, Haru had brought the Baron and the maid into an empty room.

"Is she gone? Did we lose her?" Haru whispered, peering out of the door and down the corridor they had just fled down.

Baron appeared by her side, peering out. "I think so."

"What is this all about?" Yuki asked, now entirely bewildered by the behaviour of the other two. "And what has this got to do with me? Oh, please don't tell me you're going to drag me into another mad scheme..."

Assured that Lady DuBois didn't know their location, Haru and Baron retreated from the door. Haru had the grace to look slightly guilty. "I can't exactly deny that it isn't a mad scheme..." she admitted. Before Yuki could respond, Haru raised her hands and added quickly, "But it's not for me. It's for your sake."

To her side, Baron shrugged. "For the record, it was _her_ plan, not mine."

"For _my_ sake?" Yuki confirmed in a small voice. "I don't quite follow you, miss..."

Haru abandoned subtlety and went straight into it. "Yuki, what happened at the ball on Monday?"

The petite maid thought it over. "You threw up on the way there, complained a lot about your outfit, tripped into a pudding, ran outside..."

Haru reddened. "I meant, what happened for _you_ personally." When Yuki didn't reply immediately, Haru pressed with, "You met someone, didn't you?"

"Stop putting words into her mouth, Louise."

"Didn't you, Yuki?" Haru continued, ignoring Baron's words.

The maid, wide-eyed, nodded slowly.

"Who was he?"

Suddenly Yuki shook her head and paced across the room. "But it was nothing," she insisted stressfully. "And... even if... even if I did feel anything for him, it wasn't like anything could come of it. I'm only a... a maid and he's... the crown prince to the throne..."

"So it _was_ Lune."

Yuki paused and turned to look at the two standing watching her. "Yes. Yes, it was him, but he won't even remember me–"

"He does."

Yuki froze entirely, her azure eyes even wider than before. Then, as if some gear had snapped into place, she started pacing again. "But that's... that's crazy. A prince wouldn't be interested in a maid. Why... It just wouldn't work out."

Haru stepped forward and placed a hand on Yuki's arm to bring her to a stop. "And why not?"

The maid smiled softly, gently shaking her head at Haru. "It's just not the way things work out," she murmured, too quietly for Baron across the room to catch. "You're too naive, miss. A prince will never marry a maid. A lady will never marry a servant. A baron," she paused, and then whispered, bringing her voice low enough so that Baron certainly couldn't hear, "will never marry a commoner. It's just not the way things happen." A pitying look entered the maid's expression, full of sympathy.

Haru blushed and her eyes flickered to the Baron, who was standing back and watching the proceedings without hearing the words spoken. Something in Haru and Yuki's manner must have told him that this conversation was private, because he wasn't making a move to join.

"I know nothing can happen between me and him–" she murmured back.

"So why do you give him hope?"

Haru resisted looking back at Baron, knowing that her eyes would betray to him her distress. "Because I'm stupid," she finally answered, "and I don't want to end it yet. But your situation is different – Prince Lune knows that you're a maid, and he's _still_ interested in you. Baron... only sees Lady Louise, and I know that. But just because I can't get my fairytale doesn't mean _you_ can't. Please..." Haru took Yuki's hands and looked pleadingly into the other girl's eyes. "Please, give him a chance. From what you saw of him, doesn't he deserve that much?"

"It'll never work out," Yuki repeated faintly.

Despite herself, a wan smile slipped onto Haru's face. "Yeah, but since when did logic come into love? You're in _love_, Yuki," she asserted strongly, stopping Yuki from walking away, "and whether you want to admit it or not, so is Lune. And he loves you _despite_ your class differences. Yuki, sometimes something is _worth_ the risk; you've just got to ask yourself – do you risk to never try?"

The maid gave a mirrored smile to Haru's. "You are slyer than I ever gave you credit for, miss."

Haru's face split into a grin. "It's the periwinkle eyes, Yuki; they make me look young and innocent. So what about it? Are you going to give Lune a chance?"

Yuki glanced between the two before slowly nodded.

"I just hope I don't regret this decision."

**ooOoo**

**A/N: Come the beginning of July, I am leaving for a month-long volunteering period in Africa... and, because of this, I shan't be able to update until I'm back. So the next chapter will make an appearance this Monday, and the next will be as soon as I'm back - assuming I make it back in one piece! So think of me fondly (and some prayers wouldn't go amiss; I'm blooming terrified) and I hope to see you then...**

**God bless,**

**Cat.**


	9. Vulnerable Hearts

Chapter 9: Vulnerable Hearts

Muta had always liked to think of himself as the dependable type. Gruff, maybe – and perhaps with an overenthusiastic love of food – but dependable all the same when things got down to it. Underneath the sarky comments anyway. And he'd given his advice to Baron over several matters, whether the young noble had asked for it or not - but Muta didn't think some extra advice would go amiss - and he often did so with a noticeably loud, conspicuous voice.

However, even he – who, he also liked to think as unshakable – was unsure what to do about a Baron in love.

Not that Baron spent his time writing poetry or in a constant daze, like stories and songs tell us about people in love (that might have made things slightly easier to bear) but still Muta couldn't deny there wasn't something different about him. Like he was constantly striving for something.

But Muta was Muta – the unshakable Muta – and so he didn't respond to the changes, except, perhaps, in a slight increase in the gruffness of his tone. However, the evening of the first Thursday they spent at the DuBois mansion, another change took place in the Baron.

If Muta didn't know better, he'd say he was scheming something.

As he cracked open his stereotypical newspaper, he watched the tawny lord take periodic turns in pacing the room and staring out the window. Employed by the Baron he may be, but they were still friends and their casual time in one of the many lounges found in the DuBois mansion wasn't an odd occurrence.

"For goodness sake, Baron," Muta finally complained, snapping down his newspaper and looking over at his friend. "Are you going to tell me what's up or do I have to guess?"

Baron paused in his contemplations and moved his thoughtful gaze to Muta. As things went, Baron usually kept a 'thoughtful gaze' at ready supply with the frequent use he made of it. "I would tell you, Muta, but it's not my secret to tell."

"You think I'd blab?" asked Muta, insulted by the suggestion.

A smile twitched on Baron's face. "Quite the contrary. I know that you won't. But the fact still stands that it is not my secret to tell and so it would be a betrayal of trust to pass that knowledge onto you."

Muta huffed and rose to his feet to join Baron by the window, newspaper still clutched in hand. He looked down to see what Baron had been watching and saw two slender forms making their way across the gardens, apparently in earnest conversation.

"You just can't get her out of your head, can you?" he asked dryly.

To Muta's not-so-subtle amusement, Baron reddened slightly.

"Is it her secret?" he continued with. After Baron took a moment to reply, Muta pressed with, "The secret. Is it hers?"

Baron shook his head, but his eyes trailed back to the two young women walking through the DuBois garden. The two blondes were similar in appearance, but, to him, there could be no mistaking the lady from the maid. He could guess what they were talking about too.

Muta looked back to the two people Baron was watching, before adding, "Is it the maid's then?"

Baron blinked and with a slight air of annoyance, turned to his friend. "Haven't you got someone to pick an argument with right now? Like Toto, for example?"

"Toto? Who's Toto?"

Baron rolled his eyes. "Toto? The man you were arguing with outside the stables before the Prince arrived?"

"Oh, _him_. Is that his name?"

Chuckling to himself at the other man's predictability, Baron asked Muta, "How can you get into an argument with someone before you've even learnt their name?"

Muta, in turn, raised a thick eyebrow of his own. "Baron, we've known each other for _how long_ and you still have to ask that?"

Shaking his head, Baron admitted that perhaps his question had been void and found his eyes unhelpfully drawn back to the two women outside. He smiled contently before part of his mind realised that Muta was saying something.

"I'm sorry; could you repeat that?"

Muta scoffed. "Boy, you really are smitten. I was just asking whether I should be worried about this scheme of yours."

"Scheme? Who said I had a scheme?"

Again, Muta raised a thick eyebrow. "I know you have some scheme in mind. You have that expression. Out of interest, when this scheme comes into place, should I duck?"

Baron paused. "Really; don't you have someone to argue with?" he repeated tightly.

Taking his newspaper, Muta retired to the chair he'd occupied earlier. "Nope. Looks like you're stuck with me for the time being."

"Lucky me."

ooOoo

"And how exactly did you persuade your mother to stay home today?" Baron asked curiously as they headed out to the middle of town. It was Friday and Haru had alerted the household of the Summer Festival that started on that day and, following that enlightenment, had insisted on them going out into town.

Miraculously, Lady DuBois had been talked out of accompanying them.

Haru smirked as she continued along the street, just a little pleased with herself; Yuki and Toto in tow behind the couple. "I just told her that if she didn't want to ruin my chance with you, she should give us a little privacy. My mother is terrifying, but, bless her, she is just a _tad_ predictable."

"Well, I'm glad someone's worked her out."

Haru continued to smirk to herself as they walked along the street, making their way past the well-kept shops of the main street on their way to Cornmarket Street – the road where the festival stalls and plaza usually were. However, she paused at a shop, marked _Madame Bonacieux's_, of which the display window was full of colourful, elegant dresses. She turned to Toto.

"Is this the shop?"

The consort nodded. "Yes, your mother usually purchases the dresses from here."

"Good." Taking Yuki's wrist, Haru dragged the maid into the shop. The two men glanced after her before hesitantly following.

The inside was just as colourful and stuffed as the display window suggested; dress materials and sashes and clothe covering nearly every surface. On the gentle tinkle of the bell as they entered, a short woman entered, supposedly Mme Bonacieux. The lady carried herself with a distinct air of pride; the scarlet dress she was wearing designed to flatter her curves so, even in her early forties, the woman looked stunning and poised for anything.

"Ah, Mademoiselle Louise; what a delight to be seeing you here again – and so soon after the last ball, no?" Mme Bonacieux's accent was distinctly foreign, but in a pleasant, lilting way, although even that could not hide the sharp tone the woman – by nature – possessed. "You liked the dress I made for you, yes? Ah, the material was beautiful, although your mother, she is quite controlling over the style, is she not?" The woman laughed and moved around the shop, looking through her wares. "I tell your mother, I say that perhaps you suit something simpler, but she say, 'No! My daughter must be belle of the ball!'" Mme Bonacieux shrugged and tossed a few dresses onto an already full table. "I know you don't need fancy dress to be belle, but your mother is paying, so I don't say anything more than that. But perhaps for the ball this Sunday you make your own decision, yes? Ah, the ball, it is not official yet, but I hear these things. Young lady just this morning come in and demand for dress for Sunday. I ask her why, she say–"

Haru moved into to interrupt the woman's progress before she could pick out another dress. "That is really very thoughtful of you, but I don't need a dress."

Mme Bonacieux paused in her movement. "Your mother, then?"

"No, not my mother. I was wondering whether you had a dress for Yuki." Haru pulled forward the mute maid, who froze like a rabbit under the stares of the dressmaker.

"Your maid? This is most unusual."

"I know." Haru pushed Yuki further forward so Mme Bonacieux could take a full look at the girl. "Please? Something nice. Something for the ball this Sunday."

The other woman walked round Yuki, moving the maid's head round to study the face in profile and portrait, then checking the length and thickness of her hair and inspecting her posture and form.

"She is pretty, I give you that," Mme Bonacieux commented in her foreign accent on completing her assessment, although the accent meant that her comment sounded like, 'She iz pretty, I geeve you tha'.'

"The eyes, they are a unique colour – like your eyes, although the form and skin colour... they are not like yours," the dressmaker continued. "They are nice though. I can work with them." The woman walked away and started tossing new dresses onto the previous pile; not bothering to return them to their racks. "The colour, it should pick out her eyes," she continued with, throwing out one periwinkle blue dress and a pretty pink one and tossing them both to the bewildered maid. "Go try them on."

Yuki stood where she was, still stunned by the scene before her. She passed a hand over the dresses, almost in awe in considering wearing them. "But they are way too pretty for me..."

Mme Bonacieux scoffed and pushed the maid towards the changing rooms. "Dresses are only pretty when worn. Now, _go_. You are young and you are pretty," she stressed, still directing the girl to the dressing rooms, "and you should not waste that while you still 'ave it."

Yuki eventually gave in to the commanding woman and vanished into one of the rooms.

"She is a pretty girl," the dressmaker remarked to the other three who had watched the proceedings with interest. "Although I cannot imagine Lady DuBois ordering a dress for any of her staff." She brought her hands up before any of them could say anything. "But it is not my place to comment. You ask for a dress, I get her a dress. I ask no questions."

Haru smiled to the woman, who, in spite of her domineering side, she was rapidly warming up to. "Thank you. We appreciate it."

The short woman nodded and looked over to the Baron, who was standing to the side in a manner that suggested he was unsure what to do in the situation. Mme Bonacieux smiled knowingly at Haru. "I see your mother is just as eager for a son-in-law, no? Which one is he?"

"His name is Baron Humbert von Gikkingen."

"Ah, no; you misunderstand me, Mademoiselle. Which _number_ is he?"

Haru looked blank for a few seconds before Toto cut in to save her having to answer.

"He's the twenty-first suitor."

The woman smiled again to Haru. "You are speeding through the men, no? You will soon run out if you are not careful."

Haru smiled back, but this time her smile was a little weak. Sometimes she forgot Louise's well-known history. It had a habit of catching up with her at the most awkward of times. She was saved face from the embarrassment of having to answer by Yuki's timid exit from the dressing room.

"Well?" the maid asked quietly, modestly stepping out, "what do you think?"

She was dressed in the blue dress, which fell to her ankles in a simple-cut style and hugged her figure gracefully. She moved across the room carefully, as if unsure how to walk in so beautiful a dress.

"You look amazing, Yuki!" Haru cried, grinning wildly at the maid's transformation. "That is _definitely_ the dress, isn't it?" she added, turning to Toto and Baron for additional conformation. The two men nodded mutely, distinctly gaining the impression that this wasn't their territory to comment on.

"Non," the dressmaker said abruptly, her accent thickening. "It isn't perfect. Try out the other dress."

Haru appealed to Mme Bonacieux. "What? But she looks lovely."

Mme Bonacieux tutted to the young woman. "Don't be so 'asty. We will look at the other dress, then we will decide. Go," she ordered, shooing the maid back in the direction of the changing rooms. "Pick out the other one."

Having long given up trying to persuade the woman otherwise on anything, Yuki sighed and returned back through the door she'd previously come through.

Also giving up on persuading Mme Bonacieux anything, Haru brought up a chair hidden by a rack of material and sat down, deciding that if she was going to wait around for a while, she might as well get comfy.

"So, this ball that all the ladies are a-flutter about," the dressmaker started, after a minute of waiting in silence for the maid to reappear; "you are going, no?"

Despite everything, Haru laughed. "Oh, if my mother has anything to say, I certainly will be."

"You have a dress for it?"

Again, Haru laughed. "Nothing special. Although..." she added in a thoughtful voice, "if I made a few changes to the red dress... Changed the colour, change the neckline..."

"Would you like me to do that, Mademoiselle?" Mme Bonacieux offered.

"No, I think I can manage."

On receiving a few surprised looks from those around her, Haru realised that Louise probably never learnt how to make changes to a dress. She flustered a bit before putting in, "I picked up a few things here and there. Anyway, it'll be an experience," she added defensively. "And a statement to my mother that I don't need her help with everything."

Mme Bonacieux tssked. "I cannot believe Madame DuBois has touched a needle and thread in her whole life."

"It would still be a statement," Haru added in a subdued voice.

"Fine. I will not make any fuss about you experimenting with a dress," the dressmaker sighed, "but if you need any 'elp, you know where to find me."

"I'll keep that in mind," Haru replied, smiling.

Across the room, there was an interrupting rustle as Yuki peeked her head around the door and hesitantly looked at the other occupants of the room. Her hands nervously played on the wooden door.

"Ah, you are dressed," whistled Mme Bonacieux, picking up her head and nodding to the maid. "Well? Come on out. No need to be shy."

Blushing gently, Yuki tiptoed out; her head bowed meekly down and her hands moving to smooth out the folds of her dress. The pink material flowed out from her waist in steadily darkening tones, rippling out in delicate layers until, at her ankles, it reached a deep purple colour. Around her waist a ribbon of the same shade was tied to bring the fabric in and the dress continued up for the sleeves around her shoulders to dissolve into a light gauzy material.

She picked up her head and looked over at the onlookers, her eyes suddenly picked out by the pink colour to give a beautiful, jewel-like quality to them.

"Well?" she asked timidly.

Haru was suddenly aware that none of them were moving and that the two men to her side had momentarily lost their breath. Mme Bonaciaux was the first to recover.

"_Magnifique_!" she cried, clapping her hands together, her accent slipping continuously from faint to overpowering. "What I tell you? This dress is it. Mademoiselle, you will be _la beauté de la balle_. The Prince 'imself will not be able to take 'is eyes off you."

Yuki looked overwhelmed by the reaction she was receiving. "This is really _very kind_ of you all," she murmured, threading her hands nervously through the folds of her dress, "but I can't wear this."

"Why not?"

"_Pourquoi_?"

Both the other woman had cried out in dismay at the maid's words.

"It's too pretty... and expensive. I could never wear it."

Haru sighed and got to her feet. "You _can_ wear it and you _will_. And you will be twice as pretty as any of the ladies at court and sweep the... the young man off his feet," she said firmly, only hesitant at the point where she'd nearly mentioned the Prince.

"But, the price..."

"Phooey," Haru vented. "Lady DuBois won't ever notice, and if she asks, I'll just say I got a new pair of shoes at the festival and that's where the money went. And, if she asks to see them, I'm sure I can find an old pair of shoes that she can't remember and show her them instead. I _insist_, Yuki."

"But..."

"You'd better give in, Yuki," Toto commented from the side. Only now had either of the men decided to speak up. "You know how stubborn she's capable of being."

The maid surrendered with a hopeless shake of her head. "I can't believe you've talked me into going at all. This is... madness."

Haru grinned. "There was never a genius without some touch of madness."

"Aristotle," Baron offered, taking from Toto's lead that the conversation was now open for all.

Haru turned to the tawny lord. "Oh, is that who said that? I just know my mother keeps on telling me that." She shook her head and looked back to Yuki. "Okay, returning from that tangent... Yuki, I'm _not_ giving you a choice. Even if you refuse, I'm still going to buy the dress and force it on you when Sunday comes."

"She might actually mean it too," Toto commented with distaste. "Just let her buy the dress and be done with it."

Haru smiled knowingly. "Now you're getting it."

ooOoo

With the dress bought and packaged in a wide dress box, the four of them had exited the shop and continued along the street, ever getting closer to the festival and stalls taking place down Cornmarket Street. Yuki had insisted on taking the dress and taking it back to the manor, leaving only the three of them to arrive at the festival.

Cornmarket Street was a wider, more varied variation of the cleanly upkept version that Madame Bonacieux's had been situated on. Small stalls bustled for space, crowding the way of the shops placed behind them; a colourful array of merchandise and products screaming for attention from wherever a person looked. However, before they had reached the plaza that Cornmarket led to, Haru paused and asked the two men to wait for her as she disappeared into a familiar-looking bakery. When she came back out, she was carrying a paper bag, of which she took out a couple of biscuits and tossed one to each of them.

"They're specially made biscuits that the shops only sell during the Summer Festival," she explained, taking one out for herself and continuing along the street. "If you're going to go to a festival, you might as well do it right."

Baron looked over his biscuit, which was in the shape of a sun; the rays coming out in a way that almost made it look more like a yellow night star than the radiant orb above their heads. Toto had already started on his ice-cream shaped one, while Haru was systematically taking off the yellow petals of her sunflower. In between bites she would tell them about the festival's usual routine – the dancing in the plaza; the clown acts and parade that meant the place was always filled with colour; the bonfire that was set up when evening came and the temperature dropped...

The young woman's azure eyes became animated as she talked, and when they entered the plaza, the other two saw that she hadn't been exaggerating.

The normally mundane square was a constantly moving stream of colour; music flowing from one stand and a variety of people in strange, multicoloured outfits continuously shifting around the plaza. There was a space in the middle; pedestrianised and cobbled, evidently meant for shows. Even now there was a local magician creating illusions to capture the attention of the children – and several adults unwillingly drawn into it.

Haru grinned when she saw Baron and Toto's astonishment at the 'peasant' fair – all so much brighter and livelier than they had ever dreamed of. She dragged them along the edge, sidestepping around a clown on stilts; waving up at the man as they passed, and around a puppet show; the miniature theatre so very makeshift, but still gathering a crowd of children around it. With the spare change she talked Lady DuBois to lend her, she purchased some other sweet treat for her and the other two before finally stopping where the magician was to watch his show.

"Now, watch carefully as even, before your very eyes, I turn this simple rose into a dove," the young magician was enthusing, flourishing a red bloom in his gloved hands as if to prove to the world that what he held in his hands was, indeed, a rose. A slip of the hand and a gleam of magic later, it was white dove – as white as his white magician gloves – that he held.

There was generally impressed applause from his audience.

"Do you think," Baron started, leaning over to Haru as he clapped, "that he's using real magic, or just feint of hand?"

Toto appeared to have overheard, because he joined in with, "Well, you know these street magicians; half of it is just tricks made to fool the gullible."

Haru glared at her consort, still clapping. "Tsuge is one of the best young magicians around Cornmarket Street. Why, when I was younger he used to impress all the other children by doing small tricks like illusions. He used to tell us that he was going to grow up to be a magician. We laughed, but _he's_ the one who's laughing now."

Baron looked to Haru, peeling his eyes away from the magician who was now releasing the dove, creating an illusion to make it appear as if it were flying off in a golden ray of light. "I cannot imagine your mother letting you play with anyone _she_ considered 'inferior'," he commented, emphasis on his part making it obvious that he didn't share Lady DuBois's distaste of the lower classes.

Haru laughed, partly embarrassed on her slip-up. She had forgotten she was posing as a lady, and not as a young woman living on Peddler's Street. "Oh, I escaped from my mother's close watch enough times." She imagined Louise probably had.

Seeing a familiar brunette, however, wander carefully into the plaza, Haru quickly excused herself and made her way over to the newcomer.

"Louise... you finally made it."

The young woman smiled, but continued to glance around nervously. "Yes, I told Mr Cesari that I had told him I would be taking today off, and Lettie backed me up. Your mother had been insisting that I take today off anyway."

"Why weren't you coming in the first place?"

Louise – the real Louise – grinned ruefully, if a little forced. "Everyone knows me here," she whispered. "At least, they know _you_. I haven't got the faintest clue who anyone is..."

As if to prove her point, a couple of twin girls dressed in identical costumes walked by, briefly greeting Louise as they went.

"See?" Louise demanded, faking a smile and waving back at the other two. "I have _no idea_ who they are. I just have to hope they don't come into conversation with me..."

"Tia and Lisa," Haru answered, as if that would help. "That's their names," she added. "They're probably going to do an act or something. Anyway, do you think it's any easier being you?"

"Ah, okay. How's the mother doing?"

"Tolerable."

Louise laughed and the two young women found a seat to the side to occupy to continue their conversation. "I told you she wouldn't spot a difference." Her eyes travelled to the suited man beside Toto; the two men were across the plaza in a conversation of their own. "So who's the guy? Another suitor?"

Haru paused. "He's the same one your mother invited over the same day we swapped."

Louise also paused, but there was mild surprise in her hesitation. "He's still around? Haven't you chased him off yet?"

The true-brunette coughed awkwardly as she attempted to laugh casually at the same moment. The result was a doubly awkward noise from her throat. "He's proving to be particularly... stubborn."

Grinning wickedly, the lady however just leant forward in a conspiring manner and rubbed her hands together in an extremely unladylike way. "Tell me something about him and I'll see if I can think up something. Three and seven are lucky numbers; surely the two multiplied together should be doubly so." The grin widened. "What with him being the twenty-first suitor and all. Perhaps after this one Mother will give up."

Haru, despite everything, snorted. "I think it'll take something truly spectacular to throw your mother off this particular scent."

Louise considered this. "Perhaps then I need to send of this suitor in a truly spectacular manner then. Or, to be more precise, you need to."

The other woman just barely resisted to snort again. "Louise, I think the only thing to stop your mother in this crusade of hers would be if you walked up the aisle yourself."

"But that would be giving in!"

"Seriously, Louise, are you just turning down suitors for the sake of it?"

The true-blonde paused before shrugging and turning the conversation onto something easier. "Tell me what the guy is like and perhaps I can think a way you can scare him off. Have you acted 'unladylike'?"

Haru laughed hoarsely. "Repeatedly."

Louise paused again. "Strange. That usually scares off most suitors."

"I have also danced _horrifically_ and almost crippled him at the ball in the process, fallen over into a pudding, been proclaimed 'unusual' frequently and had mix-messages mood swings," Haru added blankly.

"Wow, you're really getting into the hang of this."

Haru gave her a frank look. "It wasn't intentional."

"Ah."

The false-brunette sat up abruptly and observed the young noble across the square, her eyebrows knitted together in the illustration of thought. "So he's fine with a young woman acting off the beaten path, is he...?"

"Apparently he's fine with a young woman acting entirely off the rails," Haru replied tautly. She watched the other woman's gaze and worry flitted across her own mind. "Louise..."

"Perhaps the way to throw him off would to be a young lady then..." Louise concluded thoughtfully.

"Louise..."

"What?"

Haru found herself unintentionally cringing under the other woman's polite gaze. "Perhaps... perhaps you should give this one a chance."

Louise laughed once again; those familiar brown eyes glimmered. "Oh, Haru, are you really that naive? My mother hasn't picked _one_ decent suitor since she stubbornly caught this idea."

"You said twenty-first might be lucky," she replied, subdued.

"Yes, but I wasn't thinking of _that_."

"What is it you have against suitors?" Haru suddenly demanded. She rose abruptly to her feet and stared angrily down at the other woman. For some reason her pulse had picked up its pace and a frustrated furrow had dented her brow. She didn't know why, but suddenly this was important to her. "What is this; some game? Is this all some game to you?" she snapped. "See how fast you can drive each suitor off? Or is it just to make a point to your mother? Because I am telling you, you can hurt people this way." The anger just as abruptly left her now and her shoulders slumped tiredly. "Don't you see just how lucky you are, Louise? You don't need lucky numbers or anything like that; you were lucky the moment you were born into the DuBois family."

Louise's face had flitted through a variety of emotions during Haru's rant, but at the end it decided on mild confusion and sympathy. "Haru... what's brought this about?"

The true-brunette slipped tiredly back into the seat she had occupied before. One hand covered her face in a subconscious, vain attempt to hide her emotions. She hadn't meant to come out with that outburst. "Baron's a good guy, Louise," she murmured. "Any woman who ends up with him will be lucky. Please, remember that when you take your proper place. Please, don't dismiss him immediately. He deserves so much more than that."

The other young woman watched Haru carefully and now the realisation came. "You've... fallen in love... haven't you?"

A half-sob cracked from behind Haru's hand. "I'm afraid so," she whispered hoarsely. "I'm sorry."

"Perhaps... perhaps we should end this experiment," Louise offered carefully.

"No." Haru seemed surprised at her own sudden answer. She brought her head out of her hand and looked at her doppelganger, her eyes shining a little too brightly with the emotions simmering so close to the surface. "No. Please, I know nothing can happen between me and Baron but... can you let me be deceived a little longer first?"

"Haru, you're just leading him on then."

"Then I won't act in love then!" Haru snapped. She stared back at her could-be twin; confusion visible in both pairs of eyes, one maple brown and one azure blue. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I like being in his presence. When I'm around him I feel... like everything could work out. Like I could be just myself and it wouldn't matter. Like being just myself is the right thing to be. No one's ever made me so content to just... be me."

"And yet... you want me to give him a chance?" Louise ventured carefully.

"I don't want him hurt."

"If you don't want him hurt, then why are you leading him on?"

Again, Haru rose to her feet, but it was a slower movement to its earlier counterpart. Periwinkle eyes stared unseeing out to the crowd before her as her hands curled comfortingly around one another. "I know. I know..." The bejewelled eyes flitted to Louise. "We'll swap come Monday, right?"

The true-blonde nodded. "I think it will be for the best."

Haru heaved another deep breath, but it weighed heavier than any air should be. She had to forcefully drag it into her lungs in preparation for her next sentence; a decision finally reached as several, _important_, facts clicked into place. She knew what to do. It was going to hurt, but she needed to do this. "I caused this; I should end it." She blinked away the possible tears. "There's a ball come this Sunday. I'll tell him then that I'm ending this then. He agreed that if... if this didn't work out then he'd leave. No fuss or anything." Apparently just blinking the tears away didn't work because she had to wipe a hand across her face to catch the wayward droplets. "That way you can keep your perfect record."

"Haru, I'll give him a chance if you want me too."

Haru made soft eye contact with Louise. "Really? And what if you decide that he's not the one for you? Despite everything, he's not. And you know that." There was a silence between the two of them. "He's a good guy, Louise; if he's going to get hurt, it's only right that he gets hurt by the person who's responsible for it."

"Haru..."

The young woman ignored Louise and shakily started back to the two guys standing across the plaza, but Louise caught her wrist. Numbly, Haru turned round to face her.

"You're a braver person than I," Louise whispered. A weak smile flickered across the true-blonde's face.

A bittersweet smile echoed Louise's on Haru's face. "I know I'm not destined for a happy-ever-after, but people like you, Louise, are. Come with me."

"Why?"

Haru lead her lookalike across the square. "I think there's someone who needs to ask you for a dance."

**ooOoo**

**A/N: Okay, I admit stolen inspiration here. Yuki's second dress was 'borrowed' from Harry Potter. I was thinking about giving her a pink dress to match the bow she wears in the film, and Hermione's pink Yule Ball dress came instantly to mind. One; it **_**is**_** pretty and two; I can imagine (human) Yuki wearing it.**

**And the creation of Madame Bonacieux came about as an overdose of Poirot and The Three Musketeers. Don't ask me how you pronounce her name though.**

**Just to reiterate, this will be the last chapter before I leave for Africa. The next chapter will be posted at the beginning of August. **

**God bless,**

**Cat.**


	10. Not The One

Chapter 10: Not The One

As much as Toto was against the idea of Louise being courted by the Baron, he had to admit the man wasn't a bad sort. Certainly he was different to the other suitors Lady DuBois had thrown at her unwilling daughter.

Not that that made any difference, the consort reminded himself stiffly. Louise didn't know the young noble – it was Haru that the Baron knew.

Still, the two made polite small-talk as they waited for the blonde to return. About the fair, about the mad DuBois family – the mad emphasis on Lady DuBois – and, repeatedly, about the young woman in question. Toto didn't miss the green eyes of the young noble flick to where 'Louise' had wandered to. However, when the lady suddenly stood up; distress in her expression, the two men dropped the conversation to watch the proceedings.

Haru – dressed as Louise – had risen to her feet and was rounding to talk to the other woman she had been previously sitting beside. Then the anger – for it could be seen in her posture it was anger – left and she sunk into her seat, head in hand. The familiar-looking brunette to Haru's side said something and after a few words had been exchanged, Haru rose slowly to her feet. Then, to Toto's surprise, she appeared to finally gather herself together and led her friend towards the two of them.

As the two women approached, the dark-haired man finally realised why the brunette looked familiar – he had yet to become accustomed to Louise in her 'Haru' form.

"Stupid," he found himself muttering.

"What was that?" the nobleman asked politely.

Toto shook his head, but still questioned the sanity of the Louise-lookalike. What was she doing bringing Louise as Haru?

Haru arrived through the crowds and smiled at the two men, somehow managing to completely ignore Toto's grimace.

"Morning, boys," she said cheerfully. Her tone didn't quite fit with the rings of emotion circling her eyes. Even though her eyes were dry, it could still be seen that she had shed tears.

"Good morning, Louise," Baron replied politely. He didn't comment on her emotional state, but his own eyes flitted worriedly over the woman's face. "Who is this?"

"Oh, just a friend," the true-brunette laughed. She dropped her hands to her sides and looked between the real Louise and Toto in a meaningful manner. When both failed to comment, she huffed and added to the consort, "This is when you ask her for a dance."

Toto blinked and the irritated gaze slipped once, then fell away entirely. "Milady, would you care for a dance?" Evidently he had forgotten that in this situation, it was Haru he should be referring to as 'Milady'. Haru made no move to correct him though. She supposed she could forgive him for the slip-up.

The real Louise glanced down to the offered hand, and then at Haru.

Rolling her eyes, Haru nodded. "Speak, woman; or, if you cannot, stop his mouth with a kiss, and let him not speak neither."

The true-blonde blushed and hesitantly laid her lips on Toto's. When she broke away, the two looked at each other with confusion, as if unsure how they had ended up in this situation. Breathlessly, Louise answered, "Good sir, I would be honoured to join you for a dance." Losing her nerves, she allowed the man to lead her to the dance in the middle of the plaza.

Silence returned between the other two; Haru only had a bittersweet smile gracing her features.

Eventually, Baron commented, "Lady Louise, you are just full of surprises."

Haru laughed; again it was forced. "He's loved her for a long time, I think. And I think she has too. Perhaps now they'll finally accept their feelings," she said softly.

When she turned to face the young noble, her expression had changed and now her sapphire eyes looked so vulnerable. She quickly looked away, but the damage had been done; he had seen her pain.

A hand graced Haru's shoulder in a gentle request for her to face him. "Louise... what has happened?" When she failed to answer, his hand trailed down to her hand and led her slowly away from the festivities. Too tired to resist, she allowed herself to be guided. "Please, Louise, whatever's going on... whatever's wrong... please tell me."

They came to the edge of the plaza, where the music was dimmed a little by the crowds between them and the middle of the square. All that merriment celebrated beyond them seemed another world away.

"Baron, you once promised me that if this didn't work out, then... then you would leave..." Haru whispered.

"Louise, what are you saying?"

She brought her eyes up meet his, her periwinkle ones begging for forgiveness. "This isn't working out," she said gently. She brought her hand away from his, breaking the little contact between them.

"What do you mean? What makes you think that? Surely... surely everything over the last week... means _something_? That kiss..." He reached out, but at her flinch he stopped.

"Forget that kiss," she begged hoarsely. "Forget our time together. Forget _me_. I told you to before, but you didn't listen."

"I wasn't the one only ignoring that advice. Louise, look at me and tell me why this isn't working out."

"Damn you!" Haru found herself yelling and moving further away from the young noble. She hadn't meant for that outburst to come, but she was angry with her weakness. With the tears that were welling up and streaking down her cheeks. "Damn you and your smooth talking and your gentleman manners and everything else I fell in love with!" The tears were clogging up her eyes; she could only hoarsely whisper her next sentence. "Isn't it enough that I say this isn't working out? This is hurting me enough without... without having to prolong it!"

He moved forward and caught her shoulders with his hands. She fought angrily for him to release her, but he wasn't about to let go until he'd had his say. "It's not enough until I know _why_ I have to lose one of the best things that happened to me," he murmured. "I thought you loved me."

"I _do_ love you," Haru replied truthfully.

"Then where's the problem?"

"_That's_ the problem!" She was attracting attention now, but she had given up caring. "My damn heart is the problem! I was never meant to fall in love, but I did. I did," she echoed brokenly. "I did and now I'm having to repair the damage I've done."

"I... I don't understand."

"You never did. How could you? And I'm sorry, but this... between us could never have worked out. I was just deluding myself." She tried to step away but even though his hands had dropped away from her shoulders, his gloved hand caught her wrist.

"Louise, this involves both of us. Don't just tell me this isn't working out and walk away. Please..." He watched those sapphire eyes search fruitlessly for an answer, never meeting his. "You're not...? You're not already engaged?" he finally asked.

She laughed humourlessly, finding the suggestion comical. "Oh, you don't know how far off the target you are."

"Then give me a reason."

"I love you Baron," Haru whispered, her voice low and urgent, wishing him to believe... _understand_... her, "but this... _us_... cannot ever work out. And I was stupid not to stop it earlier but for both our sakes, I'm stopping it now." She stepped away. One step. Two steps.

"Louise..."

Three steps.

She shook her head fretfully, willing herself to have the strength to do what was right.

Four steps.

"Perhaps you should leave on Monday."

ooOoo

"I just... don't understand her..."

Muta watched the young noble pace the room. He had forgone his stereotypical newspaper for a sceptical expression today, and was making full use of it. "Baron, when has any man in the history of mankind understood a woman?"

Baron paused in his furious pacing to send an irritably glance at his friend. "I'm being serious here, Muta. Louise has been... unpredictable at the best of times, and swinging continuously between her impossible moods at the worst. Sometimes it's like she's just living the moment and at others...at others it's like she almost feels guilty... but about what I _just do not know_..."

Muta snorted, but made no move to propel himself out of the comfy armchair. "If you're so worried, go and find out what the problem is."

"I tried that. Louise seems unable to talk about it."

Once again, the larger man snorted, but with dull disbelief. "Honestly, Baron; sometimes you're just so _open_."

The young noble turned to his friend again, his mind finally catching onto what Muta was suggesting. "Spy on her? Muta, how could you even suggest that? Louise is a young lady, not a common criminal."

Muta shrugged. "It was just an option."

"Well it'll be one option I _won't_ be taking."

"Suit yourself," grunted Muta. His hands twitched, as if missing the newspaper he could be opening right now. He contented himself instead with crossing his arms and frowning over at Baron. "To be honest, I don't see why you're so interested in the woman. She isn't bad-looking, I'll give you that, but..."

"But _what_, Muta?"

Unaffected by Baron's tone, the seated man continued. "But I wouldn't have penned her as your type."

A bitter smile rose to Baron's lips. "And what is my type, then?"

Again, Muta shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe someone simpler?"

"Simpler?"

"You know... more down-to-earth. This household, this whole household is just _mad_. And complicated. You know," Muta added, chuckling gruffly, "somehow I always imagined you'd fall for a commoner... not someone of noble birth."

The smile slipped into a short chuckle of his own. "Really, Muta? Any particular reason or is this just a passing notion?"

"It was just the impression I got."

The smile eventually slipped off Baron's face as he finally took his seat. The red armchair he had somehow seemed to have claimed as his own in one of the many DuBois lounges had gradually migrated to the tall window overlooking the garden in the duration of the last few days. It was Sunday morning; the last full day he had at the DuBois manor.

And then he'd be out of Louise's life.

The very idea cast a grey cloud over his mind, misting his thoughts. He stared out the windows – so neat and clean as everything else in the manor – and cast his eyes over the finely cut lawn. It was organised to the point of depression.

His hand rested itself against the glass, somehow finding comfort in the coolness of the smooth surface. As the thought of leaving once again rose in his mind, his hand clenched into a fist. How could the very idea of leaving Louise freeze his mind when he hadn't even known of her existence two weeks ago? How could one person make that much of an impact?

Muta was still talking, he realised with a jolt. However he broke back into the conversation with a different line.

"I love her, Muta."

The larger man stopped talking and stared at his companion. Yes, it had been established that the Baron and the Lady were interested in one another, but it hadn't been put quite so... honestly before.

"You what?"

Baron turned his eyes to his friend. "I love her." His emerald eyes dimmed a little. "And because of that I am going to have to leave."

Still gaping, Muta marched over to Baron. "If you love her then why–"

"My presence here evidently causes her pain, Muta. And I can't bring myself to do that." Suddenly he had risen to his feet; he took a few taut strides away from that window he had been drawn to recently. "Tomorrow we leave."

ooOoo

Across the town, away from the white marble of the DuBois Manor and past the gleaming, peacock-fronted shops and beyond the ever-busy, bustling high-street; a quiet, run-down district perched itself on the edge. Unassuming and out-of-the-way, it wasn't the place to find gentry or nobility.

But one particular three-roomed house _was_.

It was Sunday afternoon and Louise had the day off. Or, to be exact, Haru had the day off, but it was Louise who was reaping the benefits. It was Louise who had spent the day in town with Toto and it was Louise who was now sitting back in the Yoshioka house and watching Naoko sewing patterns into various handkerchiefs and bags. The needle in the woman's hand danced merrily across the cloth, leaving behind it an elaborate design.

Louise watched the dizzying dance for a little while longer before deciding to interrupt.

"Do you think you could teach me to sew?"

The dance faltered and the needle slipped, pricking the redhead's finger. She quickly staunched the wound, but the younger woman had already seen the action. Louise immediately regretted the question; Haru had probably been taught how to sew from a young age and she had no reason to give for the unexpected question. The words had just tumbled out before she had thought it through.

"What?" The redhead observed the younger woman, sitting up a little straighter in her chair.

"Teach me to sew," Louise repeated quietly. "You know... just... just..." She abruptly shook her head. "Never mind."

Naoko moved forward to face Louise properly. "No, I'll teach you." She quickly turned back to her resources and collected together several items. "It's fine."

"Seriously, if it's any hassle," Louise quickly added, holding up her hands defensively, "I'm okay. It was just a thought..."

"I said I'll teach you and teach you I shall. Take these."

Before Louise could protest any further, she found a needle and thread applied to her hands. Mutely she accepted them, passively receiving a piece of spare fabric after that. Taking her own tools, Naoko set herself down opposite Louise and started to teach the basics. Louise wasn't quite a natural at it, but still, she picked it up pretty quickly.

"You're getting a pretty good rhythm going," Naoko complimented.

Louise glowed at the compliment. "Thanks."

"I can hardly believe you've never touched a needle in your life," the older woman added smoothly.

Louise's fingers slipped and pricked herself upon the needle. She sucked a deep breath in and attempted to hide the mistake, but there was something about Naoko's tone that set her on edge. She still tried to smile at the redhead; the result was rather pitiful. "Really?"

"Uh-hm." Naoko paused in her own tirade on the material and leant back to pick up a small portrait sitting unassuming on the side. Unassuming, like everything else in that unassuming little house. "Did I ever tell you about my sister?" she abruptly asked, fingering the hand-sized painting absent-mindedly.

"No... I don't believe you have..." the true-blonde replied carefully. Again, there was a note she decided she didn't like in the older woman's voice.

"Really? I was thinking perhaps you had met her."

Naoko turned the portrait around to show Louise the subject of the painting.

Louise sucked a deeper breath; nearly sending herself into hyperventilation at the action.

She was looking at a picture of Lady DuBois.

Her _mother_.

Naoko smiled wanly, as if expecting the response, gripping the frame with hands made rough by years of sewing and continuous needle-pricks. For a moment she spun the picture in her hands before allowing Louise to take it with an almost hallowed expression. The smile widened a deliberate inch.

"Do you honestly think I wouldn't notice that you weren't my daughter?" Naoko asked; an almost amused note in her otherwise serious voice.

The portrait slipped from Louise's hands and rolled across the floor. Louise's masquerading brown eyes dilated slowly with shock.

Taking the dead silence as confirmation, Naoko leant forward, her own grey eyes glittering. "So why don't you tell me where the _real_ Haru is?"

**ooOoo**

**A/N: I found the internet! True, I'm not going to be able to access it more than once a week, perhaps less, but it's enough to post this chapter. Africa is great - much warmer than apathetic England's weather - and my muscles are KILLING from the volunteering work. So this is Cat, signing off from Africa.**

**God Bless, **

**Cat.**


	11. Reality's Domain

"_Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."_

- Albert Einstein

_x_

Chapter 11: Reality's Domain

"How... How...?"

"Did I know that you weren't Haru?" Naoko scoffed. "I'm her mother; did you think I wouldn't notice?"

Louise's face reddened and she dropped her face down so the redhead wouldn't see her expression. "My mother wouldn't," she murmured.

"Yes, well, Elizabeth always was a little too... _preoccupied_ with other affairs to take notice of family." She sounded a little bitter – but her eyes betrayed a little sadness too.

The true-blonde's head shot up. "I didn't say–"

"I _know_ who you are," Naoko cut in. Her grey eyes had recovered from their previous emotion and now glittered again with knowledge. "While hair and eye colour can be easily altered if the right potions are acquired, face shape and voice are different matters entirely. In which case that suggests that such similarities were inherited. Which brings me to the conclusion that you are related."

Louise took the information calmly – if a little slowly. When the initial shock had worn off, a few stubborn facts remained tumbling about her head. "So... Haru and I are..."

"Cousins."

"Cousins." Louise repeated the word, tasting the word in her mouth as if she had never spoken it before. "But, my mother..."

"Is my sister." Naoko smiled a smile that spoke of bittersweet emotions. "She was Hino Elizabeth Yoshioka last time I knew her... last time I knew her _properly_, anyway. Always she was talking about how she would do more than just scrap by in this world; how she would be living up there with the gentry. She even refused to respond to Hino when she hit her seventh birthday, claiming that Elizabeth sounded "posher;" we became so accustomed to calling her that that it became hard to think of her as Hino. And then she announced that she was going to marry a young noble called Charles DuBois and... well, we didn't hear from her after that. Not directly. My family went to the wedding, and heard about your birth, but we haven't kept in contact since."

Louise sat back in her chair, the needle and thread in her hands long forgotten. "But my mother always gave the impression she was born into nobility."

"I suppose that's the impression she wanted to give. Didn't want anyone to look down on her because of her impoverished background."

"I guess... I guess that explains a lot..." Louise still looked shocked. "But still... to never even mention that she had a sister... that I have an aunt and a cousin..."

"Don't hold it against her," Naoko soothed. "Elizabeth never means to do any harm; it's just sometimes her judgement is a little off. She always believes she is doing the best for everyone. Now..." the redhead leant forward, a slight stress mark forming itself upon her brow, "why don't you tell me where my daughter is?"

"She's safe."

"Well that's a good start."

"We swapped places," Louise supplied hurriedly. Over the last week she had grown to love and respect the woman she hadn't even realised was her aunt, and now she desperately needed the woman to understand what had happened, troubled by the thought that Naoko might believe she had wilfully put Haru in danger. "Haru is disguised as me, with my consort and my maid to look after her. I don't even think my mother has noticed the change."

"Really? Well, that should provide some real eye-openers for Elizabeth."

"You're taking this very calmly," Louise noted fretfully.

"Again, while I may think of my sister as... inattentive sometimes, I know that she will always do what she thinks best for her daughter," Naoko replied slowly, sounding as if she was picking her words with detailed care. "Haru should be in no danger, at least not from Elizabeth. And perhaps I can get to know the niece I had never met."

Louise smiled weakly, eternally grateful for Naoko's kind understanding and patience. "We are changing back around tomorrow morning," she informed her aunt, "so my time here is almost up. The agreement was one week; the hair potion will wear off tonight so the exchange is going to be done as soon as Monday comes."

"Yes, well that doesn't mean we can't ever see each other again, does it? We can meet up again."

"I... suppose so." After a pause Louise added with a gentle smile. "I'd like that." A warm spread of relief settled over her; she felt as if she had dealt with the storm clouds she hadn't even realised had been hanging over her. But finally another thought came to her, a vaguely unsettling one. "Aunt Naoko..."

The redhead grinned. "Aunt Naoko... I like that name. Yes?"

"If my mother is Haru's aunt, how come Haru didn't recognise her when she first saw her?"

Louise was sure that this time Naoko smiled a little guiltily. "Oh, Haru knew that she had an aunt. She knew my sister was officially called Hino Elizabeth Yoshioka and even that she married into nobility, but that portrait is quite old. I'm sure you've seen many portraits of your mother and I'm sure she's changed since that particular one."

"I guess so."

"Enough for Haru not to spot the immediate similarities." Naoko's smile lost its guilty streak and she picked up her needle and thread again. "I expect Haru is thoroughly enjoying herself. Why, I expect right now she's being pampered to her every need at the DuBois Manor."

ooOoo

Haru was not at the DuBois Manor.

She wasn't even in the DuBois estate.

She had made her way into town and was hiding away in a corner of a particular high-street shop. Surrounded by familiar bottles of potion and scented perfumes, she had retreated into the stockroom of Hiromi's shop and was very much in need of comfort from her best friend.

"Am I doing the right thing?" Haru demanded, every fibre tense from the internal battle raging inside her.

"Haru, you're doing only what is best for everyone," Hiromi soothed. She dutifully passed across some chocolate that she had quickly picked up on seeing the state of the Louise-lookalike. Haru took it gratefully. "After all, you're swapping round tomorrow and Louise can't be expected to..."

"To _what_, Hiromi?"

The lighter brunette hesitated; even she was unsure how she had planned on ending that sentence. "To... you know, just fall in love with the baron."

Haru groaned in frustration and dropped her head into her hands; the chocolate had been quickly placed on the side. "I know, I know. Especially since she's just realised her feelings for Toto. It just..."

"It just what?" Hiromi asked kindly.

"It just would have been so much easier if I hadn't fallen in love," Haru whispered.

Hiromi pulled her best friend into a tight embrace. "Everything will work out okay," she promised. "You'll see. You've only known the guy for a week; in a few months it'll all just seem like some surreal dream."

"A few months is a very long time with him still on the brain," Haru responded brokenly.

"Hiromi!" a voice from the main shop suddenly called. "We're kind of busy out here! Can you come and help?"

"Give me a moment, Clara!" Hiromi called back. When she turned back around, she saw Haru getting up.

"I'm sorry – I'm evidently stopping you from getting on with manning the shop," the girl was apologising. Hiromi grabbed her friend's hand.

"Don't you dare excuse yourself out," she ordered. "I'm your best friend and if I say that you're more important than the shop, then I'm jolly well going to listen to you! You need a shoulder to cry on and that's exactly what I'm here to provide. Haru, I know the last week has been stressful, but things will get better."

Haru tried to smile, aware Hiromi was doing her very best to make her feel better. In the background the noise from the shop front – all too busy and loud – grew louder for a moment as the door swung open and then swung shut again. It was so busy that evidently people were having to venture into the vast storeroom to pick up extra supplies. There was some slight upper-class muttering as the newcomer stumbled around the room. Hiromi smiled a little wanly as she saw the ruffles of a silk dress turn a corner.

"Honestly, some people are so impatient. If they just waited for someone to serve them they would probably find everything much quicker," she chuckled and turned her attention back to Haru, who hadn't seen who the new person was and really didn't care. "Haru, trust me; you're doing the right thing."

"How can you know that?" Haru asked hoarsely.

"Well, I know _you_, and I know you wouldn't do anything to harm anyone unless it was for the best."

"That's the problem," she stressed. "I don't know whether this is for the best. Perhaps agreeing to this whole mad scheme was a mistake to start with."

"Hey, if you start thinking like that then you might as well give up now!" Hiromi declared, elbowing her friend playfully, although her reprimand had a slightly serious note in it. "This whole thing has worked out pretty well so far – no one's worked out that you're not the real Louise, not even Lady DuBois. Mind you, I'd love to see the hysterics she gets into if she discovers she hasn't been housing her daughter for the past week, but a ruffian off the streets."

Haru laughed reluctantly as Hiromi ruffled her hair at the word 'ruffian'. "Why, thank you Hiromi. I'm so glad you think I'm respectable company."

"Respectable company? Nah, I just like being a rebel."

"Funny, real funny." Despite everything, Hiromi's tomfoolery had done its job; she had temporary forgotten her worries and was finally laughing again. She sat back in the vast storeroom, finally feeling a bit like her old self. It couldn't last though; she eventually remembered the ball she was going to have to endure tonight and the grin slipped.

"At least it's the last night," she muttered. "At least tomorrow it'll all be over."

"Yeah," reassured Hiromi. "Do you remember what I said about the hair potion?"

"It only lasts one week," Haru recited dutifully.

"Not only that, but the potion wears off at exactly the moment when Monday arrives. The moment it strikes midnight tonight."

"But... but the ball goes on until about one," Haru suddenly stuttered.

"Well then, you'll have to get yourself out of there before then." Hiromi smiled gently, but with a little knowing smirk at her lips. "Cinderella, at the stroke of twelve, the spell shall be broken and everything will be as it was before."

"Very funny," Haru repeated again, rolling her eyes. "I suppose you expect me to leave behind a glass slipper too?"

"Well, if I thought you could _walk_ in glass slippers, let alone dance, I'm afraid I would have to insist."

Shaking her head at her friend's rather unhelpful comments, Haru added, "Not going to happen. Anyway, it's not my role to be the belle of the ball in this occasion." She thought back to a nervous lady's maid fretting back at the DuBois Manor. "Something tells me the Prince will be meeting his Cinderella tonight."

"What?"

Smiling a tad wider, Haru offered, "I can't tell you much, but I think this ball is going to be quite unusual. I suppose I should count my blessings."

Spontaneously, Hiromi hugged the other girl again. "Don't worry, Haru. By this time tomorrow you'll be back to Haru Yoshioka and normality will have returned. That's what you want, isn't it?"

Haru tried to smile, but the action was painful. Fortunately she was spared a reply by an abrupt clattering from behind. Both girls jumped out of their skins at the nearby rattle and turned around to see the back of a woman rush out of the storeroom. Haru frowned for a moment; had they been overheard?

Hiromi dismissed it with a glance and returned to the task of lifting Haru's spirits. "You want life to get back to normal, right?" she insisted.

"Yeah, yeah," Haru hastily replied. She rose to her feet and made an excuse about needing to check everything at the DuBois Manor was going smoothly – and that Yuki hadn't backed out, she internally added – and left. Still Hiromi's last questions spun round her head.

'_Back to normal... of course that's what I want. Back to being... back to being Haru Yoshioka. Back to being just plain old Haru Yoshioka. That's what I want..._'

Why couldn't she believe that?

ooOoo

"Louise DuBois, where have you been all this time? We need to start getting everything together for the ball and–"

Haru ignored the woman and rushed upstairs. The clattering of feet hitting the stairs was quickly followed by the slamming of a door.

For several minutes the stress of the last few days finally overflowed in the form of bitter tears. She knew she was stronger than this; that she had been letting her emotions get the better of her, but still the unfairness of it all stung her. She had never fallen in love before; never fallen in love and had that love returned... Why did it have to happen under false pretences? Why did Baron have to believe that it was Louise he loved?

Why could everyone else have their happy ending?

Turning herself over to stare at the whitewashed ceiling, Haru tried to cast the gloomy thoughts out of her mind. Forgetting the rush of the evening ahead, she dozed fitfully for half an hour before the swing of her door cruelly brought her back down to reality.

"Miss... Miss... Lady DuBois is becoming hysterical downstairs."

The voice of Yuki knocked her further into the realms of reality. With a groan she lifted her head. "Over what?" she grumbled.

"There's only an hour until we will need to set off for the ball," Yuki explained quietly. "You haven't even got your dress packed and ready."

Haru picked up her head and glanced at the maid. "Neither have you."

Yuki redden. "I don't know whether I should..." she mumbled.

Finding some of her old spark returning to her, Haru swung her legs over the bed and got to her feet. "Yuki, you're going and that's final! It was you at the ball the Prince met and–"

"What if he's forgotten me?" the maid asked anxiously. "What if... what if he's met someone else...?"

"If you don't go, you'll never find out," Haru replied briskly. She dragged the dress box that had laid undisturbed at the back of Louise's wardrobe for the past few days and dumped it on the bed. She paused to glance over at the young woman. "Yuki, the Prince expects you to be there. Do you dare disappoint him?"

"No, but..."

"Good, it's all settled then. And..." Haru paused once again, but this time an irritated expression passed over her features. "Damn!"

Yuki's innocent-blue eyes widened at Haru's exclamation. "What? What is it?"

Haru rubbed her head tiredly and slumped down on the bed. "We forgot to get you some shoes. We were so focused on the dress that we completely forgot anything else... like shoes or jewellery."

"I could just go in these..."

"No you cannot. You are not going in those scruffy old shoes. Unless... You've got the same sized feet as Louise, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"No buts," Haru instructed tightly. She had already moved over to the wardrobe and was rummaging round at the bottom. A few high-heels were thrown across the room as she dug deeper. Yuki stood sheepishly at the side, trying to reclaim the discarded footwear and return it to some presentable state.

"Come on... come on... there's got to be something decent in here..."

Yuki ducked as a slingback of a particularly gaudy yellow shade flew past her at head level and hit the wall with a resounding thud. The shoe's partner quickly joined the first.

"Miss! You can't just throw these shoes about!" the distressed maid called. "Some of these are original Romantiques!"

Haru paused and her head appeared out of the mess of clothes and shoes. A pair of purple flats were grasped in her hands. "What? Is that like a brand?" She tossed the flats across the room, which Yuki hastily caught.

"A very _expensive_ brand."

Haru's response was all the one word reply of, "Pah," before she returned to her task. "Sounds like a money-making scam if you ask me."

"Nonetheless, I'd appreciate it if you didn't just throw them about!" Yuki begged as she caught another discarded pair.

Luckily Yuki didn't have to worry for much longer because at that point Haru paused and dragged out a shoebox stuffed at the back. Dragging it into her lap, she sat legs crossed and opened it up. A victorious smile lit up her features as she picked out a pair of golden shoes, but with just enough of a heel to change the angle of the foot. Two strands of gold tailed up almost like miniature ballet ribbons.

"Well, they're not glass slippers, but they'll do," Haru commented to herself. She moved to pass them over to Yuki to try on when something else in the shoebox also caught her eyes. She tugged aside the paper stuffed into the box and brought out several pieces of jewellery.

"I can't wear Lady Louise's shoes!" cried Yuki, still much in the thrall of distress behind Haru. "It isn't... it just isn't done!"

"Well I'm acting in Louise's place right now and I say it _is_ done," Haru said determinedly. "Also, while you're at it, try on these too." Pulling out the golden necklace and tiara, Haru got to her feet.

"Wear her jewellery too?" Yuki's voice was slowly becoming more mortified. "You are mad, miss!"

Haru just smiled. "I've been told that before. Come on – I doubt Louise even knew she had these in the back of the cupboard. They don't deserve to spend their lives unworn when they're that beautiful, do they?"

Haru's arguments weren't winning Yuki over as much as wearing her down. Faced with the taller woman bearing down with the jewellery in hand, Yuki backed down and meekly slipped into the shoes and took the tiara and necklace.

"See?" Haru demanded when Yuki had clipped the necklace around her neck. She dragged the poor girl to the vanity and made her admire herself in the mirrors.

Despite her reluctance, Yuki had to admit that the tiara beautiful complimented her hair and complexion, while the necklace added perfectly to it.

"Not so bad, huh?" Haru added, but softer this time. She sounded a little smug.

"No..." Yuki sounded a little awed, but suddenly she brought herself back to normal. "Not for a lady's maid, anyway," she supplied quickly.

"Well, we haven't got you all kitted out in the dress too, that's why. When we have finished with you, not one man in that ballroom will be able to take his eyes off you."

"I don't want to be stared at," the maid said in a subdued voice.

"You'll just have to pretend they're not there," Haru said, more confidently than she felt. It was a bit rich coming from her really, considering her previous reluctance to go anywhere near the last ball.

"You'll come with me, right?" Yuki's bright blue eyes moved away from her reflection and focused on the Louise-lookalike. "You're coming to the ball too, aren't you?"

"I guess so." Intensifying the false show of bravado, Haru smiled yet wider. "It is the last ball I am going to attend after all. I wouldn't want to miss it for the world."

"You'll need to find a dress then!" Yuki abruptly cried and snatched the tiara off as she rushed to the wardrobe. "I can't believe I let myself get carried away and forgot about it! And shoes! Goodness gracious, we haven't got anything sorted out for this!"

Haru sighed and shook her head as she allowed Yuki to fuss over her and throw several potential dresses onto the bed. She supposed some things never changed.

**ooOoo**

**A/N: Thanks for all your amazing patience and reviews - you guys are the best! I only wish I had the time to personally reply to all your reviews. (To those of you who guessed that Haru and Louise were sisters, good guess, but I'm afraid not. I promise I'll write another story with the two of them as sisters again soon though.) **

**This is Cat, signing off from Africa once again. **


	12. Romantic Dreams

Chapter 12: Romantic Dreams

'_Back to normal... of course that's what I want. Back to being... back to being Haru Yoshioka. Back to being just plain old Haru Yoshioka. That's what I want... That's what I... what I..._'

"Louise, would you stop daydreaming and get your head back beneath the clouds?"

Haru blinked a couple of times and finally managed to banish the haunting words from her head. Blinking a couple of times more, she focused her eyes on the indomitable form of Lady DuBois, the woman's harsh voice quickly bringing her back to reality. "Sorry. I was just... just thinking."

"Well, try not to look like you're thinking so hard. It's most unseemly for a young lady to be so deep in thought."

Haru had to resist the urge to roll her eyes; somehow quite sure that rolling her eyes would also be 'most unseemly for a young lady'. "Yes, _Mother_."

"Now don't you use that sulky tone with me!"

Finding she didn't have the energy to pursue this argument, Haru leant her head against the cool glass of the window, staring out of their carriage. The bumpy ride caused her to wince as her forehead hit against the window, but she didn't move to withdraw her head. It was easier to bear than forced conversation with the other occupants of the carriage.

Yuki wasn't in much of a conversational mood – she was nervous to the point of biting her nails, which Haru continuously had to stop with a gentle nudge. But Baron... she could feel his eyes on her; that same betrayed question in his gaze.

'_Just one more day... one more evening,' _she mentally reminded herself frantically_. 'Then I can leave this all behind me_.'

'_Yeah, right_,' another part of her mind cut in snidely.

She groaned and held her forehead against the glass, using the juddering vibrations to shake all thoughts out of her head. Somehow she doubted her mind was going to forget Baron so easily. Or her heart.

"Miss, are you okay?"

Perhaps Yuki had caught Haru's grimace, because the maid was worriedly looking over the true-brunette.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied.

Silence fell back over the carriage like a particularly bad smell. Haru waited for the moment when Lady DuBois would deem the silence as 'unladylike' and try to strike up a new conversation between 'Louise' and Baron. However, it didn't get to that point as the baron himself seemed to find the silence oppressive to the point he tried an ice-breaker.

"Did you see Toto and Muta before we left?" he tried, chuckling slightly uneasily. The chuckle died quietly when all eyes turned to him. Haru's turned unwillingly, but all the same her eyes were now fixed on him. "The two were nearly at each other's necks," he continued. "Satori turned them out of the kitchen for fear they would break something."

"I wish they would confine their arguments to their free time," Lady DuBois said stiffly. "They seem to forget that they are being paid for the time they waste disrupting the household."

The slight humour that Baron had attempted to summon died immediately.

Despite everything, a seed of pity burrowed itself into Haru's heart for the baron. She knew how quickly Lady DuBois could put down a person. "I think they're rather funny," she suddenly found herself saying.

She reddened when everyone turned to her now. She didn't know what had brought her to speak up; she had just convinced everyone she wasn't in the mood for conversation. She dropped her head, returning her gaze to the world beyond her window.

"Just saying," she added quietly.

It appeared her heart still held some sway over her actions.

She just hoped that it wouldn't lead her to do anything stupid in the upcoming ball.

ooOoo

Once again Haru found herself being dragged to a quiet room in the palace to change out of her travelling clothes and into her dress. In contrast to Yuki's elaborately cut rosy dress, Haru had picked out a simpler deep blue one, thoroughly decided that _she_ would choose her outfit this time. It – much to her relief – had a considerably more modest neckline and style to the previous ball-gown, even if it was strapless. With detached sleeves that began at her mid upper arm and ended in a clean-cut wide style, an embroidered silver design spiralling at the bottom and round her midsection, it still felt rather extravagant. The dress flowed out in classic ball-gown fashion from her midsection, fluttering every time she moved.

Well, she reflected now, adjusting the waist into a more comfortable angle, it had been simpler than the _other_ dresses Yuki had lined up for her.

And she didn't look too bad either, she noted vaguely. She couldn't pretend she wasn't surprised with the results.

But as for Yuki...

The accessories and the dress together made the young maid breathtakingly beautiful; when Yuki eventually smiled on seeing her reflection her whole face lit up.

"I'm... I'm..."

"Beautiful," supplied Haru, grinning wickedly. "Like I said you would be."

The true-blonde gaped a little longer at the beauty staring back in the glass. "I... I..."

"You're speechless, I know. Come on; let's get you to the dance." Haru's grin widened yet more. "Cinderella, you will go to the ball!"

"You have to enter with me!" Yuki cried, terror creeping into her voice. "I... I can't do it by myself."

Haru's face temporarily fell. "What about your big entrance?"

"We can double the effect with the two of us," the maid supplied eagerly. "Please?"

Nervously, the true-brunette smoothed out the ripples from her dress. She understood Yuki's anxiety perfectly; perhaps this would give the other girl the support she needed. She nodded. "Okay."

"Thank you!" Yuki embraced Haru in an uncharacteristic hug. Her usual restrictions clicking back into place, the maid quickly released Haru, looking rather guilty all the while. "Sorry."

Haru grinned again, and pulled Yuki back into a hug.

The maid seemed shocked by the return action. "This... this isn't the place of a lady," Yuki said weakly.

"Stuff the place of a lady," Haru scoffed; "the place of a human is the same for everyone."

ooOoo

The two young women made their way nervously down to the double doors; the muffled muttering of small-talk filtering through the wood and walls. Music intertwined itself between the lull of conversation, flitting and spiralling between the notes.

Haru took Yuki's hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. "It'll all turn out fine," she whispered.

"I can't... I've never..." the maid stumbled.

"You can and you will," Haru said firmly. Again she discarded her own nerves and took a hesitant step forward, prompting the anxious blonde after her. "We'll enter together?" she offered.

Yuki's smile quivered and she nodded. "Together."

The double doors swung gently open and suddenly there was nothing separating them from the dance floor before them; nothing except the wide set of stairs that made their entrance like standing on a stage.

There wasn't the clichéd hush rushing across the room; the band didn't fall silent at their entrance, but still... eyes moved round to see the two young women standing hesitantly at the top of the stairs. Yuki was a half step behind Haru, and at the stares she was threatening to take several more steps back. Only Haru's measured hold of the maid's wrist stopped her from vacating the room immediately.

Haru's eyes, however, were scanning the room for a particular individual. She finally found Prince Lune standing across the room, previously engaged in talk with his father and a young lady, but on their entrance he stopped and sent a querying glance her way. His eyes flitted continuously to the other young woman at Haru's side.

Haru smiled and gave a subtle nod.

Lune started forward, abandoning his conversation entirely and made his way across the room, almost falling over the steps in his nerves. He finally arrived at the entrance, his eyes now entirely focused on Yuki; his mismatched orbs slowly growing wider as he offered a hand.

"It _is_ you," he breathed, almost in awe.

Yuki's smile filled her face, a gentle blush gathering at her cheeks. She moved to curtsy. "Your Highness."

Lune caught her waist in his other hand and brought her back up. "Please, there's no need for all that," he whispered.

Yuki's blush intensified. "There is every need for that. You are royalty, and I..."

"And I see before me a young, _beautiful_ lady," the Prince finished fluently. "Will you come dance?"

"I... I..." Yuki's protests slowly faded and she ducked her head down shyly and the blush reddened. "I would be delighted," she finally murmured. Still blushing, but smiling bashfully all the same, she allowed herself to be led down the stairs and onto the dance floor.

Haru smiled fondly to herself as she watched the besotted couple.

"So I suppose that makes you the Fairy Godmother then?"

The smile steadily dimmed and the true-brunette turned around to see the Baron Humbert von Gikkingen standing behind her. The light dancing in her eyes dimmed with her smile, and internal barriers were suddenly built. "Good evening, sir." Her voice had become wooden.

He took her cue and answered steadily, "Good evening, Lady Louise." His voice had abruptly become as wooden as hers; even his eyes had lost their usual spark. Those deadened eyes flickered over to the dancing couple; so happy, so in love. "I see your plan succeeded."

Haru tore her eyes away from the Baron and focused instead on Yuki and Lune. "It seems so."

Neither of them moved still; the two seemed pinned to that spot at the top of the stairs.

"Lady Louise, this may be the last time I get to tell you this, so may I just say that you look beautiful tonight?" he commented softly.

"Thank you... sir." Haru's blush was hardly noticeable, and yet there it was. She kept her eyes away; afraid of what emotion might be present in her too-blue eyes if she looked to the Baron. She felt the gentle touch of his glove upon her shoulder; the sound of him about to start another sentence, and she found that she couldn't bring herself to stay. She muttered an apology; muttered an excuse, and found herself fleeing down the steps, picking up the skirt of her dress as she raced across the Ballroom.

Several people moved out to stop her – Lady DuBois; Yuki and Lune; even the King with a "Hey Babe" comment of his own... Haru ignored them and retreated to the relative safety of the garden beyond. The cool wind rippled over her bare shoulders, chilling her slightly but she didn't respond to it.

The physical discomfort helped her to ignore the emotional pain.

ooOoo

The young maid saw the familiar head of blonde rush past her; so did Lune. Yuki picked up her blonde-white head from the Prince's shoulder and stared after Haru, feeling Lune again also watching. Moving away from her dance partner for a moment, Yuki swung her head first in the direction of the Louise-lookalike, who had deserted the Ballroom in favour of the gardens outside, and then to the Baron. The Baron stood, deserted, at the top of the stairs.

"Is everything okay?"

"I... don't know," the maid answered truthfully. Her eyes returned to the Prince's troubled mismatched gaze. "I don't think so."

Lune's hand around her waist was already gentle; it loosened at her words. "Do you want to see if she's alright?" he offered.

Yuki considered it, glancing to the door where she had seen Haru depart. She then remembered their previous collection of conversations; the ups, the downs, the hurtful truths they'd exchanged. She had tried her best, but when it came down to it, the only one who could really make a difference was the Baron.

Somehow she gained the impression that it would be the case here too.

"I think she needs this time alone," she murmured. She moved back into Lune's embrace, seeking comfort in his arms. A pang of guilt hit her as she remembered that Haru was the reason she was here; it was Haru who had organised the ball with Lune; it was Haru who had dragged her into _Madame Bonacieux's; _and it was Haru who had persuaded her into the dress that evening.

"Are you sure you don't want to check on her?" Lune offered again.

Yuki smiled weakly. "Right now I expect I'm the last person she'll want to see."

"And why is that?"

The smile watered. "Because it looks like I'm going to get the happy ending she's only dreamed of."

ooOoo

"So you're still out here?"

Haru didn't pick up her head; she listened to the footsteps diminishing the distance between them. The footsteps crossed the bridge; the hollow echo reaching her ears, and stopped beside her.

A humourless chuckle escaped her numbed lips. "Why do you keep following me?" she queried hoarsely. "I would've thought you'd become sick of it by now."

'_Sick of __**me**_,' was the underlying meaning. Neither of them needed to clarify it.

The silence strung itself out a little longer than was comfortable, and then the Baron sat down beside the young woman. The river continued to trickle merrily below them; oblivious to the tension above.

"Do you ask the moth to forgo its love of the light?" he asked gently.

"By pursuing the light it will only become burned," Haru answered roughly. "The light will be its death."

"And yet the moth still follows the light."

"If it had any sense, it would not do so."

"Perhaps sense does not come into it."

Haru paused and now her eyes were drawn to the young noble at her side. His attire consisted of the usual grey suit. "When will you see sense and forget me?" she finally asked. Her voice was still more ragged than she would have liked, but she knew there was little she could do about that. It shook slightly too; that was from the cold. She had been sitting outside for a couple of hours and even in the summer evening the night breeze chilled her.

Evidently it was quite visible that she was suffering from the cold, because at that point a jacket was draped carefully around her shoulders.

"Perhaps it's because love is stupid, and so am I," Baron replied softly.

One hand had risen in a half-hearted grip on the jacket; the movement more instinct than choice, but at the young noble's words she turned her head to face him and one side of the jacket neatly slid off her shoulder.

"You could do so much better than me," Haru insisted. "Baron, you are kind and caring and I don't know what it is that you see in me but whatever it is, is it really worth the hurt?"

Baron brought the wayward side of the jacket back up to Haru's shoulder and his hand lingered there for a moment. "Yes," he said gravely; the sincerity of his words scaring Haru. "Yes, it is worth every hurt, every war, every pain I endure, because I know I have found something truly special and I don't want to lose it."

There was a heavy pause.

"I don't want to lose _you_."

Guilt started to swamp her mind; before she could dwell on it too long she picked at the shoulders of the jacket to wrap it closer around her. Her hand briefly brushed against Baron's; he released the jacket and moved away.

'_This wasn't meant to happen. He wasn't meant to fall for me... If he knew who I was he would forget me instantly... Why, oh __**why**__ doesn't that give me_ _hope? It should make me feel better about the whole thing... shouldn't it?_'

She desperately wished that believing he was shallow, narrow-minded noble would ease the pain.

It didn't.

But, despite everything, she still savoured the warmth of the material, wrapping the just-right jacket around her. "Why does it seem that whenever I come here, you always end up giving me your jacket?" she asked, laughing. But the laughter came out slightly bitter, as if her subconscious was trying to beat it into the conscious that this would be their last day together.

So far the subconscious was winning.

"Perhaps it's because you haven't got the foresight to bring your own coat," Baron replied. He had tried to make the comment light – even humorous maybe – but Haru suspected his subconscious was in as just as much control as hers.

Again, the silence stretched out for several minutes before Haru could bring herself to speak again. The silence wasn't easy to bear, but in some ways it was safer than conversation. And yet she found herself asking, "So how are things going between Yuki and the Prince?"

She guessed Baron also found refuge in the apparently 'safe' topic. "They seem to be doing... well. Not as much dancing really but..."

Forgetting her main worries for a moment, Haru suddenly straightened her posture, eyes wide in an abrupt, uncomfortable thought. "Oh! I never checked to see if Yuki could dance! She _can_ dance, right?"

The young noble at her side chuckled kindly. "Don't worry; she can dance as well as the next person."

"As long as the next person isn't me, then that shouldn't be an issue."

This time something close to a true smile graced both their lips. "I think for all purposes, we can safely say you are _not_ the next person," Baron reassured. "When I said that there wasn't so much dancing occurring, I was referring to their preference for talk. Although," he added smoothly, something of a roughish smile eclipsing the previous smile, "they seem to be perfectly happy occupying the dance floor all the same."

"I suppose that prevents my mother or the King from interfering, more or less."

"The King isn't turning out to be much of a problem. I... ah, _dropped in_ for conversation at one point and Lune's father seems entirely enamoured by 'the babe in pink,' to quote our beloved monarch. Thank goodness Lune is already interested in Yuki otherwise he might find himself being unwillingly pushed down the aisle."

"If I wasn't pretty sure Lune really cared for Yuki I would never have set them up in the first place," Haru informed him stiffly. "At least this gives the two of them the opportunity to talk to each other. While one meeting is enough to leave the two of them besotted, it does not quite result in long-lasting love."

Some longing entered Haru's voice at that point; some deep-rooted wistfulness or naive hope. She blinked away such useless emotions, but still she couldn't stop herself from adding, "Somehow I don't think we need worry about them though."

'_Someone had to get to get their happily-ever-after. Who ever said it was going to be us?_'

Haru felt the Baron's gaze move to her, with that same mixture of pity; of confusion and unanswered questions; of stinging betrayal; of a pained heart. She knew he wanted to know why she had backed away; why she had told him that _they_ could never be when they had both felt the connection between them.

She could never tell him the truth.

'_He'll forget me_,' she tried to persuade herself. '_He'll move on and forget all about me. He'll find someone better. I'll forget him too. Sooner or later he'll just be another name in my past. Another face._'

Unfortunately it seemed she wasn't so good at the whole 'self-delusion' thing.

Her war-zoned mind was spared another introspective inspection as at that point Baron got to his feet. Haru was so surprised by his action that she was jolted from her reflections and was rudely dumped back in reality. The shock must have been greater than she had expected, because she had scrambled to her feet too before the order to move her legs had even been approved by her brain.

"Wait... are you going?"

There was a desperate note in her voice as she abruptly discovered that she didn't wish him to leave.

"Why? Would you miss me?" The teasing note just about made it into his tone. The smile, so perilously bordering on humorous, still looked bittersweet.

Trying to vainly recover her aloofness, she laughed, rolling her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she had rolled her eyes; life had been too stressful for such disregarding actions like that recently. "Of course not. I just wanted to know whether I should return your jacket to you now or later."

The taunting note struggled for a few moments longer then died altogether. It appeared she couldn't even manage sarky comments like that anymore. Sighing, she dropped her head and asked, in a more subdued voice, "So where are you going?"

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere," Baron answered. He offered a hand; gloved as usual. "Actually I was going to ask you to dance."

She regarded the offered hand with the same wariness a mouse must regard a snake. Except she knew the hand wasn't going to bite. At least in the literal sense.

"I... I don't dance. You know that."

"You did last time," he reminded gently. Still the hand stayed where it was. Still the offer remained.

"Things change. People change."

"The past stays the same," he added. The hand didn't move. "For old times' sake?" he requested softly. "Whatever you say; however long it lasted, you cannot deny that we had something special. Can we celebrate it with one last dance?"

Haru spared a glance back to the glittering interior of the Ballroom. To where the overpowering odour of perfume, the over-bright collection of dresses congealed. Where, she knew, she would be judged for who she danced with, for how she danced, for what she said and did.

Baron caught something in her gaze.

"I didn't mean in there," he added gently. When Haru's altered blue eyes fixed on his, he said, "We could dance out here, if you want."

"I doubt my mother would class it as..."

"_Ladylike behaviour_," they both finished with. Despite everything, the two of them exchanged smiles. Lady DuBois' predictable opinion was nearly a blessing in the uncertainty of everything else.

Their smiles warmed for a moment and then sunk back into vague discomfort.

"Just trust me."

Trust? He could still ask for trust after everything between them? He still believed they could harbour something as precious as trust between the two of them?

She placed her hand in his.

"I trust you," she whispered.

She was surprised to find that she spoke the truth.

The music gently moved into a new song and somewhere in the depths of the Ballroom, someone started singing. The words drifted to their little corner of the garden and left a bittersweet taste to the air.

_You're in my arms and all the world is calm;_

_The music playing on for only two_

_So close together_

_And when I'm with you_

_So close to feeling alive._

She allowed herself to be led through the motions of the dance, with the soft lyrics echoing far louder round her head.

_Our life goes by_

_Romantic dreams must die_

_So I bid mine goodbye_

_And never knew_

_So close to waiting, waiting here was you_

_And now forever I'll know..._

_All that I wanted to hold you so close._

She almost stumbled, but her partner kept her from falling, his arms around her offering – promising – protection. Protection from the rest of the cruel, uncaring world.

If only it was that simple.

If only things had been different. If only Louise's suitor had been an empty-headed idiot like the others. If only she had never agreed to the wretched plan. If only she hadn't fallen in love.

If only he had fallen in love with Haru, not Louise.

_So close to reaching that famous happy ending,_

_Almost believing this one's not pretend_

_And now you're beside me_

_And look how far we've come_

_So far we are, _

_So close_

The music swelled and now she was being swept up in a twirl, the music momentarily catching her and just for that one bridge she felt beautiful despite everything; despite her lies, despite the heartbreak, despite the fact they could never be. For a few blissful moments it was just the two of them dancing out on the lawns of the Palace. She could delude herself that there was no class difference between them; that she wasn't the only one missing her happy ending and that maybe, _just maybe_, they could be together.

And then the music settled quietly back down and she returned back to earth, back to reality's realm where nobles married nobles, not commoners off the street.

The music sounded almost triumphant at times; triumphant and yet terribly bittersweet. Was that even possible? She thought of nearly-happy-ever-afters, of what could've been if luck had been on their side, of the life that could've been.

Of the life that never could be.

_Oh, how could I face the faceless days_

_If I should lose you now?_

_We're so close to reaching that famous happy ending_

_Almost believing this one's not pretend_

_And let's go on dreaming_

_Although we know we are_

As the song came nearer to its end, it faded to a heartbroken whisper. Their dance slowed and Haru allowed herself to lean into Baron's embrace, allowing herself to delude herself for a few blessed moments longer.

_So close, _

_So close, and still so far._

With the music gently filtering from the gaudy Ballroom, diffusing across the garden and into the dewy air, they felt strangely separated from the crowds gathered in the confines of the Palace. Their dance floor was the grassy lawn, precisely cut to a uniform inch; their pillars were aged oaks, gathered round the dancing pair like elfin shadows; their roof was a velveteen sky, diamond-studded with sparkling stars and lit with the silvery glow of the moon.

It wasn't the setting for any dance for those of noble birth.

But it was _their_ dance.

**ooOoo**

**A/N: Sorry so much for the delay - internet in Africa is, as you can imagine, hard to come by, and we didn't go to our usual weekend place yesterday. Anyway, there may be no chapter next week - for the same reason - so I hope this will tide you over at least until I return home - which will be some time around the start of August. (If not, then you can safely assume I've been eaten by lions. Or mosquitoes. Either one is equally plausable.)**

**Signing off from Africa,**

**Cat.**


	13. Tick Tock Goes the Clock, Midnight Comes

Chapter 13: Tick Tock Goes the Clock, Midnight Comes

There was a commotion back at the palace. It was that, and not any concept of time, that broke the dance. The music in the Ballroom stumbled in its piece before finally dying out with the muffled hum of conversation, leaving a sort of hollow emptiness in its place.

Haru blinked; her mind registering the fact that somewhere along the line they had paused in their dance and she had moved closer to the Baron, her head leaning against his chest. For several moments she didn't move from her spot, closing her eyes again and savouring the feel of his arms around her. Then, "I suppose we should see what's happening." The words were quiet, softened by emotional tiredness. It had been a long week.

"I suppose we should." His response had been slow, almost as if he was requiring to drag himself back to the here and now also.

Still neither moved.

More seconds passed; Haru closed her eyes again before forcing them open, pairing the action with a tired sigh. "We should head back." Her words were needed as much to convince herself as him. "My mother will probably be hitting the roof by now."

They both knew that it was an excuse; neither commented on it.

The seconds stretched out and Haru took the first step back. And then the second. She smiled weakly as his arms released her and she was allowed to walk free. And then she turned around and walked across the gardens, back to the Ballroom. Behind her, he followed; a few steps distance keeping them apart.

She hesitated for the briefest of seconds when she came to the Ballroom door, the hushed silence bearing down on her nerves. A gloved hand slipped to hold her hand; she looked up to see Baron standing beside her, offering encouragement.

"What's the worst it can be?" he whispered.

"I'd rather not answer that question," she whispered back.

His hand didn't leave hers. "Let's discover it together, at least."

She smiled weakly and entered the crowded Ballroom.

She needn't have worried about their entrance – there were so many people that the addition of two made little, if any, impact and the majority's attention was fixed upon the Prince's form at the front of the room anyway. Baron guided Haru through the crowds until they were standing near the front, close enough to see Lune. Close enough to see that the lady to his side was none other than Yuki.

"Friends," Lune began (Haru tried not to make a face at the address; she knew he bore very little affection for the majority of guests), "I am sorry to end the dance prematurely, but I have an announcement to make. As many of you will be aware, balls are not my forte." There was a scattering bout of laughter; the crown prince's avoidance to formal occasions was well noted amongst the nobility. "So my decision to host another one so soon after the previous will doubtlessly have aroused questions." Lune paused for a moment, watching the crowd's reaction. Something about his gaze suggested that he knew full well that his actions had caused 'talk' among the upper classes. "I admit, there was an ulterior motive to my decision. I had hoped to meet a particular woman – a very intelligent, amiable, beautiful woman–" the Prince snuck a glance at Yuki, who was doing her utmost best not to blush. She was failing, but it didn't make her look any less beautiful, "–and to my joy, I did. And so, with that, may I present Miss Yuki."

The maid was ushered forward by several of the attendants and tentatively took her place next to the Prince. He drew her closer and her blush intensified, but even that couldn't stop her smile from shining. Even the prospect of facing the crowds of nobility couldn't erase it.

"Friends, Miss Yuki has agreed to move to the Palace in order for us to become better acquainted and, hopefully, in time become my wife and the future queen."

The applause was hesitant at first, as if the nobility was unsure whether the crown prince was allowed to marry a commoner – for her lack of title suggested it was so – but then the clapping grudgingly grew before it finally filled the entire room with rapturous applause.

"A bit of a funny way to ask her to marry him," Haru whispered to Baron, leaning closer to ensure he caught her words. "Asking her to move to the Palace and all. They've only met a couple of times."

"Palace politics," Baron replied. "Lune wants to get to know Yuki and be given the chance to court her, but if his father heard about it then he wouldn't be allowed to see her and his father would try and persuade Lune to marry someone else. But by making it official, Lune is preventing his father from interfering. Now it's announced, his father can't interfere unless he wants to make a scene. Don't worry; Lune isn't going to force Yuki into anything she doesn't want."

Haru nodded, slightly encouraged by his words and encouraged more so by Yuki's expression. "Well, she seems happy," she commented. Understatement. She looked ecstatic. Slightly overwhelmed, but ecstatic all the same.

"So does Lune. I'm glad. For both of them."

"So am I." All that same, a little seed of jealously pricked her heart. Why couldn't their happy-ever-after have been as easy as that? Not that Yuki and Lune's been easy, but it had been significantly less emotionally complicated.

Evidently Baron was thinking along the same lines, because he didn't immediately add anything to her statement. "It all seems so simple, doesn't it?" he eventually whispered, projecting his voice just enough for Haru to pick up the words, but not enough for any passerby to hear. "Like something out of a fairytale."

"Yes," Haru agreed. "But the fairytales never said how bittersweet love could be."

"Louise..."

"Don't." She didn't want to discuss it any more. Not now; not when she was so close to finally putting it all behind her and moving on with her life. Not now when she had finally managed to delude herself that once she returned to her normal life, she could leave this all in her past. "Please, don't."

Apparently Lune hadn't finished his speech, because he was still standing at the front of the crowd, next to the orchestra where he could be seen. A motion from him commanded silence and the gossip that had started to spring up died away. The nobility was fine with gossip, but if the crown prince wanted silence, then they would be silent. He _was_ the future ruler after all.

"I cannot stand here and announce my good news without thanking a certain few individuals. To be precise, two individuals whom without their help this would not have been possible."

Haru groaned; she didn't want recognition, she wanted to be allowed to fade quietly into the background.

No such luck.

"Lady Louise DuBois and Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, would you care to join me up here for a moment?"

No, she would not care to. But now the surrounding people's gaze had pinpointed her location and there seemed to be little she could do about it. Muttering broke out and she was being shoved, none too carefully, by the crowd towards the Prince.

A slender hand grasped around her wrist as she – and the Baron – were guided forward. Haru turned to her left to see the familiar black locks of Lady Odile. Haru winced as the grip tightened, but it was the tight-lipped smile on the face that set her heart on edge more than the hold.

"Careful, Cinderella. Tick-tock goes the clock, midnight comes."

The smile grew knowing, and Lady Odile's face faded back into the crowd.

Haru didn't try to work out how the young lady knew her secret, only that there was too much truth in her words. Time had escaped her and she had no idea how much she had until midnight struck. She struggled against the crowd's grip, trying to turn her head to the clock at the back of the room. She reached the front of the room and unceremoniously arrived beside the Prince and Yuki. She stumbled; Baron caught her.

"Are you quite alright?"

Haru shook him off and glanced behind her.

Midnight was mere seconds away.

"I– I need to leave," she hissed. "Please, I..." She turned to Yuki and whispered desperately, "Look at the time."

The maid obeyed and her blue eyes widened. Haru had filled her in on the whole 'the hair spell wears off at midnight' complication and it appeared before now she had also forgotten. She glanced to Lune with a look that suggested she had just as much clue as Haru as to how to get her out before the whole Ballroom saw the transformation.

"Louise, is everything...?"

Lune proceeded with whatever words of appreciation he had prepared, but before he had got any further than the "Friends" greeting, the Palace clock chimed midnight.

And he never got to finish it either, because at that point every guest in the sweeping Ballroom saw 'Lady Louise' transform from a golden blonde to an ordinary brunette.

The mutterings and accusations already filling her ears, Haru sunk to the floor, hands raised to hide her face and to block out the stares. '_It's too late. I left it too late. And now everyone knows that I'm a fake_.' She felt the Baron move at her side. '_**He**__ knows I'm a fake._'

Slowly, quietly, he knelt beside her, hands curling around her wrists to bring her palms away from her face. "What's happening?" he whispered, and despite the uproar spreading in the crowd, she heard every pained word. "I don't understand. Louise..."

She sprung to her feet, throwing off his hands. "That's not my name!" she shouted, suddenly sick when she thought back to every time he had called her that. Of every time in the last week that he had laughed with her, argued with her, comforted her... all by a name that wasn't hers. He had fallen in love with a young blonde called Louise. Nothing could change that. "Don't you understand?" she demanded angrily, backing away and taking blessed refuge in her irrational frustration. "Don't you get it already? I'm not her! I never was her! I will _never_ be her!"

'_And no matter how many times I wish it were so, nothing can change that_.'

"She's an imposter!" someone from the crowd cried. Haru recognised the woman as Lady Odile. "She's not Louise at all; she's taken her place. I overheard it all – this... _fraud_ is nothing more than a common peasant! The real Louise swapped places with her!"

"Is this true?" Baron asked quietly. In the background shouted questions, roared accusations flew under the domed ceiling of the Ballroom, but Haru's ears picked out his words perfectly. After a raw pause, he added, "How long?"

"You never knew the real Louise," Haru whispered, and she fled the room. Either people were too shocked or not prepared for her sudden sprint, because only the verbal violence followed her as she fled up the stairs and through the double doors; the noise steadily fading away as distance was put between her and... and everything she had been living with for the last week.

She had hoped that Baron would never learn of her deceit; that perhaps it would be less painful that way.

But life had never been that simple.

Three Months Later

"Are you almost done there?"

"Very almost!" Louise called back.

The door of the office – so called an office, because evidently the architect couldn't think of another name for a small room endued with a desk and various bookshelves – opened and Toto entered. He moved over to where the blonde sat at the desk, writing out names on invitations, and peered over her shoulder. His arm casually moved across her shoulders, done in such a way that it suggested this action wasn't a one-off. "Milady, they expected the invitations done an hour ago."

"Well, I hope they've found something productive to do in that time," Louise replied, replicating her mother's high and mighty accent perfectly. She slipped the most recently done invite into a cream-coloured envelope and wrote a name on the back in her curving, slender calligraphy.

"Very funny, Milady."

Louise grinned. "Oh, don't sound so grim, Toto. And how many times have I asked you to forsake the 'Milady' line? What, are you going to say that at the wedding or something?"

"Would you prefer it?"

"I think it would be hideous. "Yes, I take Milady to be my lawful wedded wife..." Honestly, Toto, I can't believe you'd even suggest that." Louise turned in her seat to look over at her fiancé. "I hope you were joking."

"You needn't worry."

"Worry? Why should I worry?" Louise placed another sealed envelope on the large pile to her right, turning back to the task at hand. "It's only supposed to be the best day of my life. I suppose worrying would be overreaction on my part."

"Only mildly."

A few more invitations were written, sealed and placed aside before Louise took up the conversation again. "How's my mother taking it?"

"Better than when she originally heard the news," Toto said truthfully. There was some screeching from downstairs; a familiar sign that Lady DuBois was berating some unfortunate servant for some insignificant slight.

"Still in a bad mood, though?"

"She's been in a bad mood since..."

"Since that night," Louise finished. There was an almost unnoticeable pause in her work, but it was all the same present.

"She says it's because Yuki left..."

"We all know the real reason. One maid leaving to marry – even if it is the crown prince – wouldn't leave this much of an impact," Louise again finished.

"She's still upset that you swapped places and deceived her."

Louise laughed rather harshly. "My mother never lowers herself to the state of 'upset' unless it's to her advantage. She's angry."

"And still upset," Toto supplied quietly. His gentle hold around her shoulders tightened momentarily in comfort. "She's still your mother, Louise. I know she's been a bit... overpowering in the past, but she still cares for you. She's always done what she thinks is best, even if her tactics were a little... off target."

His fiancée slumped in her work, rubbing her forehead tiredly. "I know, I know. I just hope she accepts it sooner or later."

"Give her time. When she sees that you're happy, I expect she will, in time, be also happy for you."

"Is that a prediction or wistful thinking?"

"A bit of both?"

Louise laughed – this time it sounded more genuine – and leant into his embrace. "Thanks, Toto. I needed that."

"You're welcome." He peered over her shoulder to see that she had only two invitations left. There was something deliberately undecided about them. "Who are those to?"

"Haru and the Baron," she answered. "I want to add something more, but I don't know what. I want to make sure they both come but..." Louise shook her head. "Haru asked me to keep her true identity secret when we swapped places for the last time, even from the Baron, and I can't break that trust. She was so _distraught_ when she came back to the house that last night... going on about how it had all gone wrong and how our trick had been discovered." Again, she shook her head. "We had been so _close_ to succeeding too."

"You wish you could find a way to get them together?"

"Don't you?" demanded Louise. "After all Haru did – to get Yuki and the Prince together, to get _us_ together – don't you think she deserves it? She spent all her time being our fairy godmother and yet when it comes to the happy ending she should have received, she's left without."

Toto considered his fiancée's words and leant forward to cover Louise's hand with his own. He smiled lovingly at the blonde. "Then perhaps it's time someone else took up the job of fairy godmother."

ooOoo

The tea never tasted right anymore.

Of course, he'd had bad batches before in the past – batches that had been thrown straight down the sink at the first sip; others that he had been 'tactfully' advised to dispose of by friends 'volunteered' as guinea pigs – but never at this frequency. Never had he gone so long without making at least one decent batch.

He knew the reason. At least, he knew the cause. But he couldn't bring himself to breach the subject. He knew the reaction he would receive from friends and family – sympathy, pity, mild morbid curiosity – and he couldn't deal with it.

He had tried to track down the girl. Once the 'real' Louise (he hated thinking that, but it was the only way to distinguish in his mind between them) had returned and been acknowledged as the right one, he had gone to her to try and find the girl's identity.

She had turned him down.

She had told him that the girl didn't want to be found, that the girl had specifically asked her not to give her identity away – and especially not to him. She had apologised, said she wished she could help, but that it had been the only thing the girl had asked for.

But the apology hadn't changed the fact that she had given him nothing.

It had been forcefully déjà-vu and yet entirely eerie to see that same face he had grown to know as well as his own, and for no spark of recognition to enter those hauntingly familiar sapphire eyes. Oh, there was a mild recollection, but one that came of meeting a stranger one once met in passing. Not recognition that should come about after all their time together. And yet, throughout their discussion, he had considered the 'real' Louise to be the fake one. He knew she was the real heiress of the DuBois estate, only daughter of Charles and Elizabeth DuBois, but she wasn't the same as the girl he'd grown so close to that fateful week three months back now.

The other Louise – the one he had no name for, only memories burned in the back of his mind – had had something different. She had had something more.

She had been so _alive_.

The most recent batch of tea was unceremoniously dumped down the sink; the kettle abruptly slammed down to the side. He moved swiftly across the room, looking for something – he didn't know what, but knew there was something missing. Something vital.

'_Of course there's something missing_,' his mind cruelly reminded him. '_**Her**_.'

He continued to pace, unsure why he was doing so, only that somehow it helped. His friends and family had all commented on the restless behaviour that had overtaken his soul, but little they said had made any impact.

'_For goodness sake, it's been three months_,' he mentally berated himself. '_The girl doesn't even want to be found. If she did, she wouldn't have given those instructions to Louise._' Unbidden, memories rose to the top of his mind, particularly the ones considering the girl's unpredictable mood swings. '_Damn, what the fool I've been. She even warned me that everything wasn't right, that we could never be together. And yet I chose to ignore those warning signs. And all because I liked to delude myself that I would find a way to overcome it. Stupid_.'

Needing something to occupy himself, he stopped at his desk. Earlier that morning a quiet butler had smoothly placed a tray there containing that day's post. Idly he flicked through it, not expecting anything out of the ordinary.

And life had been so ordinary since _she_ had disappeared.

But one cream-coloured envelope caught his attention. Tucked beneath some official-looking papers, the flowing calligraphy that told him a woman had written it peeked out from the side. He eased it out and slipped it open, forgoing the envelope opener the butler had thoughtfully provided.

He didn't know what he had been expecting, but he was still surprised when a wedding invitation came to light. Written in the same beautiful handwriting, it proclaimed the upcoming wedding of the (real) Lady Louise DuBois with Toto Morrigan. The invitation was formally worded, providing details of the date, time, etc, and his heart sunk. Again, he wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but he had hoped there would be something... _anything_... to lead him closer to finding _her_. He would go, of course, but...

Tired with everything he flipped it over and moved to place it to the side, somewhere out of the way but where he wouldn't lose it. He paused before he released it, spotting that same flowing writing inserted on the back.

Hesitating, afraid to get his hopes up in vain, he brought it closer.

"'_Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all."_

Another line, not a quote, followed it. He brought it closer for inspection.

_Fortunately, maybe that love won't have to be lost. Come to the wedding; the person you seek will be there. Fix what has been broken. End the story with the happy ending it deserves._

_Good luck._

_Louise._

ooOoo

"Haru. Haru. _Haru_!"

Lettie tapped her friend on the shoulder when she failed to respond, bringing her attention away from the task of unpacking the products that had arrived that morning and to her instead.

"Hey, Haru; you've been working yourself to the bone all day. Time for you to go home."

"I'll... just... get these last boxes... done..." huffed the brunette, moving away from her friend and moving to stuff the spices away into their respective containers.

"No, you won't." Lettie retrieved the current box from Haru's grip, and returned it to the stack. "You, pet, are going home."

"I'm fine."

The blonde placed her hands on her hips irritably. "Haru, you've been arriving early, you've been leaving late; the routine is slowly killing you. _You're_ killing you. Go home, get some rest, and don't come back until you're bouncing off the walls with energy." Forcefully, Lettie grabbed Haru's shoulders, turned her around on the spot and wheeled her out of the storage room. "And don't even start to mention Cesari; I'll deal with him. Anyway, even he has noticed you've been working yourself half to death – and you've got to have one foot in the grave before he notices anything's wrong. Look, I know that whatever happened three months ago with the whole 'switch-a-roo' trick affected you, but that's no reason for you to push yourself until you nearly drop."

Haru struggled for a moment, then found she didn't have the energy, and dutifully allowed herself to be led out. Lettie dumped her outside the bakery and stood, again with hands on hips, while frowning at her co-worker.

"Right, get going down that street, and if I see you sneaking back to work I'll kick your sorry butt right back across town." Her expression told the girl that she meant every word.

Haru slowly set off along the gestured road, slinging her bag over one shoulder and lifelessly trudging past traffic of coaches and pedestrians. She raised her eyes to watch the carriages roaring past, remembering all too clearly how only three months before she had been one of those privileged ladies seated in a personal coach, with Lady DuBois sitting beside her, Yuki seated opposite the older lady, and the Baron...

She closed her eyes and momentarily paused; the world rushed, oblivious, past. She had promised herself that she was leaving all that behind. That she would find a way to permanently discard all thoughts of that life – particularly the Baron – and continue as if nothing had ever happened.

'_Good luck with that_.'

She forced herself to take another step and continue the lonely walk back home.

The brisk September wind whistled round her, but she made no move to clutch her cloak closer around her. She liked the cold; it numbed all other feeling, leaving her mercifully empty inside. Goosebumps travelled up her arms, travelling even up to her shoulders and making her shiver as the coldness reached her heart. The action was somehow cleansing; blessedly instinctive and automatic.

She slipped inside her home, draping her cloak tiredly on a hook and retiring to her room. "Mum, I'm home."

Naoko appeared instantly at the doorway of the lounge and watched her daughter drift across the hallway. "Haru, you look dead on your feet." A heartbeat passed, and she added, "And you look so cold too. Didn't you wear an extra layer today?"

"I'm fine," Haru sighed. She seemed to be saying that an awful lot recently, but no one was listening. She disappeared into the shared bedroom of her and her mother, and dropped that day's wages into the box containing her earnings. The coins hit the bottom with a clatter; the contents had been steadily filling since she returned to her normal life – faster than ever now that she no longer allowed herself to treat herself on small indulgences like the occasional night off (even more infrequent now than before), and since she increased her daily workload.

She had never meant to up the time spent at the bakery, or to permanently work on Sundays at Hiromi's family shop. But she found release in the escape of work – her mind was made to focus on other matters, like ordering the ingredients for the bakery, or managing the failing organisation of Hiromi's family shop which had steadily gone downhill since Tony had left. She found going home meant her mind was freed up to dwell on everything she'd rather forget.

A shadow appeared at the door and Haru picked up her head to see her mother standing there.

"Seriously, Haru; whatever it is that you are punishing yourself for–"

"I'm not."

Naoko drew her only daughter close, hugging her to her. "Then why are you doing this to yourself?" she whispered.

Again, Haru didn't have the energy to resist. Her head fell forward on her mother's shoulder. "I just want to earn enough to get out of here," she replied quietly, and was surprised to find the truth in her own words. After coming back to everything she had once considered to be her whole world, she found the memories aroused from simply walking through town or stopping by the crossroads too painful to bear. She couldn't live in this place, constantly living in the past. She had to move on, and the sooner the better.

"You've always wanted that, but now... it's pushing you, _hurting_ you," Naoko murmured in her daughter's ear. "And I hate to see you like this. I know something happened three months back, and I won't push you to tell me, but please promise me you will try to deal with whatever is eating you away like this. Don't let it consume you."

"I'll try," Haru truthfully promised.

"Good." Naoko drew her head back to lock eyes with the young brunette. Haru was shocked to see red rimmed round her eyes; a tell-tale sign of tears shed that day. And she knew it was out of worry for her. "I'll let you rest – you need it. But there's a letter by the door for you." She paused, and added, "It looks rather official."

Something pricked inside Haru; she wasn't sure she wanted to find out what the letter was about. But she dutifully retreated back out to the hallway and – sure enough – a cream-coloured envelope was placed neatly to the side, addressed to her. She swept it off the side tiredly and returned to her room.

She slipped her finger beneath the slit and neatly tore the envelope open. An invitation slipped out.

_Lady Louise DuBois and Toto Morrigan formally invite you to their wedding..._

Haru's eyes slid down across, barely registering the details, engulfed by the sole thought of Louise and Toto finally getting their happy-ever-after. She gave a bittersweet smile, knowing she wouldn't be able to bring herself to attend, and moved to put it back to the side, but her eyes caught writing on the back. Resignedly curious, she turned it over in her hand and read the lines written in Louise's slanted handwriting.

"_Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds."_

_Take a leap of faith. He will be there._

_Louise._

**ooOoo**

**A/N: Hey, look, I actually managed to update this week. Wonderful. Anyway, I would update you on the fantastic stuff I've seen and done, but that'll have to wait until I'm back home. I'm kinda on a tight schedule here. So tight, that I haven't read all your wonderful reviews, but trust me, I will the moment my feet touch English soil again. Or several hours later, anyway.**

**This is Cat, signing off for the last time from Africa.**


	14. A Leap of Faith

"_I am coming to terms with the fact that loving someone requires a leap of faith, and that a soft landing is never guaranteed."_

- Sarah Dessen

_x_

Chapter 14: A Leap of Faith

It was all so perfect. Bouquets of lilies placed perfectly around the church; cream-white garlands hung perfectly at the end of each aisle, interlacing with the perfectly white blooms; all the guests standing patiently and perfectly in wait for the bride to sweep up the aisle.

All too perfect, Baron couldn't help but think. The intricate style of the planning left no room for any uncertainties or anything unexpected. He knew Lady DuBois wasn't one for skimping on the details, but still, he felt it lacked something.

"Friend of the bride, or of the groom?"

He tore his eyes away from the crowds and focused on the man standing at the door. "What?"

"Friend of the bride or the groom?" the man politely repeated, and gestured to the two sides of the church; evidently one for friends of the bride, and the other for friends of the groom. Baron hesitated. He had never knowingly met the real Louise, and yet to class himself as the friend of either when he considered himself such a stranger to the pair seemed a lie. He shook his head. "I'll just stand at the back."

The man seemed unsure whether such a choice was allowed, but manners rose easily to him, and so he just nodded and said, "Very good, sir."

Baron smiled weakly and stood to the side nearest – in this case it was technically the side for friends of the bride – but took no pew, instead choosing to lean his back against the stone wall of the church. More people – high ranking ladies in their elaborate, expensive hats, men in smartly pressed suits – filed past and neatly took seats in such an orderly manner that it almost appeared like they had seats allotted to them.

But that was the nobility for you.

Louise's letter had promised him the girl would be there, but he had no idea how he would recognise her. The only detail he had to go on was the dark chocolate shade her hair had revealed itself to be, that midnight hour so long ago.

His eyes scanned over the crowds, picking out all the brunettes he could spot, and every time he discarded them with a barely repressed sigh. Like it would have been that easy.

'_She probably won't even come. Perhaps Louise made a mistake_. _Yes, she's obviously made a mistake; I don't know why I ever thought this would work out._'

His eyes continued to flicker over the crowds though, even as his mind told his heart the action was pointless.

The wedding march sparked into life as the doors at the back of the church revealed a Louise clad in white lace; a lily bouquet to match the rest of the decorations delicately clasped in slender hands covered in patterned white lace gloves. And, like every other detail of the arrangement, she looked perfect.

Not that Lady DuBois would have settled for anything less.

Louise spotted the Baron to her left; she sent him a small, hopeful smile before turning her face to the front of the church and replacing it with a glorious sparkling one. Baron smiled gently back, giving her a subtle nod before she turned her face to let her know he was happy for her. Even if he never found that girl, he was happy that Louise received the ending she deserved.

Not everyone could win.

But he could still dream.

Through the triumphant march, there was an apologetic snuffle of the side door swinging gently open then shut. Assumingly just a latecomer or two who hadn't quite managed to arrive on time. Baron made to dismiss them from his mind, but they passed in front of him and stood quietly behind the last aisle; not in a pew, but not far enough back to be leaning against the wall like he was. Neither of them had noticed him.

There were two of them, one a young brunette, the other an older redhead – most likely the younger's mother. Neither wore the over-elaborate style that was so in fashion with the upper classes currently, but instead a simpler design of dress that spoke of somewhat limited funds.

The brunette moved her head to her mother's side and whispered something into her ear. The elder nodded and kept her gaze on the happy couple at the front of the church. She slipped her arm around her daughter and gave her a comforting, one-armed hug that looked like it was much needed. The redhead whispered something back, but the brunette didn't reply. In fact, she looked away, as if uncomfortable with the subject.

Baron only caught one glance of the girl's face, but that was enough for his heart to already be convinced. He didn't care that it was jumping to conclusions or self-delusion; he knew that face, the way the eyes crinkled in sorrow, the way the mouth twitched downwards in unease.

In his excitement he almost moved forward, but he caught himself. No, not now. He'd waited four months; he could wait until the reception.

He just hoped she planned on staying that long.

ooOoo

Haru watched the shimmering gowns of the nobility ripple as they danced, swirling in an intricate pattern and filling the room with a sea of rainbow colour. From her seat at the edge, she sighed and leant back, trying desperately not to think about how four months back she had been one of them. Even it had been temporarily.

There had been a month between receiving the invitation, and the actual wedding itself. Enough time for her to change her mind several times before finally friends took the matter into their own hands. She had let slip the issue to Hiromi, who had then insisted that Haru – and Naoko, since Louise was technically her niece (Haru had explained that to Hiromi too) – were certainly going and nothing she said would change that. Haru had tried to say that she had no dresses to wear since she was saving every penny, but Hiromi had simply employed the help of Lettie and a few other friends, bought some material, and Naoko had worked to sew together the dress Haru now wore.

After that much effort from her friends and family, Haru saw that she had been cruelly tricked, since there was no way her conscious was going to let all that work go to waste.

So there she was, sitting at the edge of the Ballroom, tugging nervously at the edge of her dress. Lune and Yuki had arranged for the reception to take place at the Palace Ballroom, especially since the happy couple had been involved (Toto, if not Louise) in the royal pair's meeting, and out of respect for Yuki's former employers. Unfortunately it only served to drag up bittersweet memories of her last time there.

She tugged yet more fretfully at the edge of her dress. She had to admit, her mother had done a beautiful job. The blue material flowed silkily from her waist and fell perfectly to her ankles, accessorised by the delicate – but impractical – slipper-like shoes fitted to her feet. Hiromi had insisted on doing her friend's hair, and so now it fell around her face in flawless ringlets, petite blue flowers braided into it. How Hiromi had afforded flowers in October – only the gentry could afford blooms out of season – Haru didn't know. And neither could she bring herself to ask. She only comforted herself with the internal promise that she would repay everyone who had helped in whatever manner possible.

Naoko had left her a while back, to go and offer her congratulations to the happy couple, she had said. It had been a while since then, and Haru had spotted her mother in deep conversation with Lady DuBois. The brunette smiled sadly to herself. Although time couldn't be reversed, perhaps the two sisters could make up for the lost time. Perhaps she would get to see Louise more often, although she wasn't sure whether she could bring herself to enter the DuBois household with all the memories it too held.

It seemed her life consisted solely of memories she'd rather avoid now. The high-street, the crossroads, the DuBois Manor...

She groaned and got suddenly to her feet, sick of watching the nobility swirl in their colourful throng before her. Without thinking, her feet lead her out of the Ballroom and into the garden once more.

"You never did give me a name."

Haru had only distanced herself a few metres from the Ballroom; at the familiar voice she froze. But she did not turn around immediately. A variety of emotions flickered across her face before finally settling down into forced indifference. Assured the expression was firmly fixed, she turned on the spot.

"What, sir?"

He looked the same, she noted with an emotion within herself she didn't quite recognise. Or perhaps just an emotion she'd prefer not to recognise. Same top hat, same morning suit. Same... Baron. She hadn't betted on his presence making such an impact on her. Still she retained her mask.

He, however, didn't bother with masks or facades. Irritation created by desperation found its way into his features as he stormed towards her. Haru arched her head coldly to stare into those eyes, needing to keep her expression icy to stop some weaker emotion slipping out. "Don't pretend," he demanded, walking closer, "that you don't recognise me. I know it's you, Louise."

The annoyance disappeared immediately as he realised his mistake, his slip of the tongue.

Haru arched her head more, staring ever frostier into those emerald eyes, finding blessed refuge in the anger that was just beginning to sweep through her. "That," she stated coldly, "is not my name."

She moved to retreat back into the Ballroom – never would she have thought she would prefer the presence of the pretentious nobility over Baron – but he caught her arm as she tried to pass him by.

"I'm sorry. You never gave me a name."

"What would you care?" she snapped. She broke free from his surprisingly gentle hold. '_This was a mistake, a huge, massive mistake. I should never have come._' "I'm just another commoner, aren't I? Why would I matter to a baron?"

"You matter a great deal," he said softly.

Somewhere inside her, she was screaming to continue into the Ballroom, but something – be it her mind, or her heart – kept her feet from moving. Unwillingly frozen, she stayed stuck at that point all too close to the young noble. "I'm just a commoner," she repeated, but somewhere along the line the anger had forgotten to enter her voice; her words came out a mere whisper. "Not a lady, not someone of high birth, not anyone important."

"You're important to me, and that's all that matters," he promised.

"You're nobility – you're a _baron_," she reminded him fretfully, desperately wishing that her feet would just let her flee. "You're going to go on to be someone great; _do_ something great, _marry_ someone great. Not fall for a nobody." She shook her head, wishing that her heart would just bandage itself up and be done with it. "I'm not..." She swallowed and began again. "I'm not perfect... or beautiful like Louise is. I'm not elegant or pretty or anything that is ordinary or expected for a lady." She squeezed her eyes shut and whispered her last line. "I'm just me."

His hand moved to her face and softly caressed her cheek. "Who said I was looking for anything ordinary?" he murmured. "Who said you're not perfect? Who said you're not beautiful? Who said _just you_ wasn't enough?" He smiled and briefly covered her lips in a chaste kiss. "Just beautiful you is all I want."

She stared into those eyes for a second longer, the feel of his lips on hers still lingering wistfully in her mind. "You're mad," she proclaimed weakly.

He grinned back. "I suppose coming from you, that's a compliment. I still mean every word I said."

She paused to take in his words, all too much still. Eventually she whispered, "Why me? Why me after everything, even after it turns out I lied about who I was?"

"Simple. My heart rules my head."

"I guess that makes two of us then," she answered and, pushing aside all misgivings, returned his kiss with one of her own, her arms moving around his neck of their own accord. When she ended the kiss, she found herself slightly flushed, but dizzy from the happiness bubbling in every fibre of her being. '_He loves me! He loves me despite who I am! He loves me for __**me**__!_'

He seemed deliriously surprised by her spontaneous action and brought her into a gentle, but slightly possessive, embrace. She clung to the front of his shirt with one hand, the other looped loosely around his neck. She could feel his heart hammering away inside his chest as madly as hers was.

"You know you once asked me if I would still be interested in you if you weren't of noble birth?" he asked, surprisingly quiet compared to his hammering heart. "If you weren't Lady Louise, but just plain Louise?"

How well she remembered that conversation indeed! "Yes," she murmured. "And you said that until you were faced with just such a dilemma, you wouldn't know exactly what you would do. But at times the world gets a great deal more complicated than that."

"I'm facing just such a dilemma now," he commented. He brought his head away to look into those maple eyes so different in colour to the azure ones he had known, but still so similar in the expression of emotion. He could love these eyes just as much as the other ones. Perhaps even more so. "Now I know exactly what I would do." He brought his head back closer to hers and whispered, "Stuff those overgrown peacocks who think they know best. Ignore the rest of this crazy, mad world. If my heart is set on you, then I'm afraid there is nothing anyone can do about it. A love like this only comes once in a lifetime; who are we to deny it?"

His words lifted her heart, but, unbidden, a fear seeded itself within her. "The nobility are never going to approve," she remarked quietly.

"If a maid can be queen, then a commoner can be a baroness," he said smoothly. "Don't worry about them."

"What if...?" She turned her head away, embarrassed by her lack of faith.

"What if what? Please, tell me what's on your mind."

"What if the rumours and mutterings scare you off?" she whispered, reddening yet further, humiliated by her own words. "What if you decide it's not worth it?"

"You will _always_ be worth it. Let them stare, let them talk; they don't matter." He released her, but took one hand in his own gloved palm. "Come, just trust me. Dance with me."

She saw he was leading her back inside and she shook her head. "In there? I... I can't."

He paused and leant towards her, making the brunette's heart skip a beat. "This time you're not hindered by high-heels. Just dance like you did back at the DuBois Manor and everything will be fine." He picked his head up, one ear listening to the music. "And it sounds like the song is just ending. Come; one dance is all I ask."

She smiled, once again weakly, but this time offered no protests as he led her inside. She blinked a few times as the patchy October sunlight was replaced with the shimmering of a chandelier's glittering glow; the light intensified by the clean, bright walls and the arching ceiling. Indeed, they were now between songs and the young singer stepped forward to the front, appearing somewhat meek as she twirled a stray strand of blonde hair before one eye.

"This song is for everyone who's ever wanted a happy ending," she murmured shyly. "May your every wish upon a star come true."

Smiling down at the brunette, Baron placed one hand around Haru's waist, the other clasped steadily around her hand. She hesitantly lifted her other hand to his shoulder. A deep breath was inhaled to give her strength and she moved a half step closer to the young noble.

The music started up, faster than the usual pace for a waltz, but it mattered little.

Out of the corner of her eye, Haru saw a few onlookers slyly peer at the two of them, exchanging words with raised eyebrows and downturned mouths.

"Ignore them," Baron comforted. "They don't matter. They will _never_ matter."

From the front, lyrics blossomed out of the music.

_Ever ever after._

_Storybook endings, fairytales coming true;_

_Deep down inside we want to believe they still do._

_In our secretest heart, it's our favourite part of the story,_

_Let's just admit we all want to make it too_

The music upped the pace again, but Haru was slowing down. Her hand dropped away from Baron's and was clutched across her chest in a fiercely protective gesture, her other hand now loosely resting on his shoulder. "I can't do this," she whispered. "I can't go on with them all staring."

"They're only staring because we've got something precious here," Baron promised. His other hand moved around her waist and brought her closer, preventing her from running out.

In the background, the chorus sung out, but Haru was no longer dancing.

"They're going to stare forever, aren't they?" she murmured. "I'm going to spend all my life with them watching and judging me, always thinking I'm not good enough for you, always muttering and sniggering behind their hands. No matter what I do, I will always be the commoner who married herself into nobility. Just some little upstart."

"It's only important if you make it," Baron assured. His glittering green eyes shone in Haru's maple pair. "I promise."

"Really?" Her voice sounded – for a moment – so young.

He brought his head closer to hers. "Really really."

_Start a new fashion; wear your heart on your sleeve,_

_Sometimes you reach what real just by making believe._

_Unafraid, unashamed,_

_There is joy to be claimed in this world,_

_You might even wind up being glad to be you._

"So now that's sorted," he murmured, "why don't we dance?"

_Ever ever after,_

_Though the world will tell you it's not smart._

She smiled up at him – fully and honestly for the first time since that fateful June evening when everything had all gone so terribly wrong. "Why not?" she replied.

_Ever ever after,_

_The world can be yours if you just let your heart_

_Believe in ever after._

Hands still around her waist, Baron picked her up in the air and twirled her round as the music reached an ecstatic, head-spinning tune. Suddenly she was dancing without tutoring, without the steps being drilled into her head; she was dancing just for the fun of it.

_No wonder your heart feels it's flying,_

_Your head feels it's spinning;_

_Each happy ending's a brand new beginning,_

_Let yourself be enchanted, you might just break through_

Who cared what the nobility thought? Who cared that she wasn't what people expected her to be? She was bigger than that. She was confident enough to be just her – just beautiful her. Stuff those overgrown peacocks who thought they knew best. Ignore the rest of this crazy, mad world. Baron loved the person she was, no matter her status or heritage.

And that was enough.

_To ever ever after_

_Forever could even start today,_

_Ever ever after_

_Maybe it's just one wish away,_

_Your ever ever after._

She spun round and ended back in Baron's arms, their faces so close now that his eyes were the extent of her world. Behind them, the aristocrat class stared, muttering behind delicately held fans and shaking heads. A baron and a commoner?

Impossible, they hissed.

Crazy, they said.

Not right. Not proper. Not done.

Still the couple's faces moved closer.

_Oh, for ever ever after._

And that moment was sealed with a kiss for all the room to see.

Impossible?

Crazy?

Not right? Not proper? Not done?

Haru grinned to herself.

Who cared?

**ooOoo**

**A/N: The song used is "Ever Ever After" by Carrie Underwood, from the film "Enchanted". And next week will have the final, short chapter for "Reflections", just to wrap things up. You know what my final chapters are like.**

**Cat.**


	15. Ever Ever After

Chapter 15: Ever Ever After

Outside a lively town, along the fringes of the forest skimming the settlement, a small overgrown path formed its way along a bubbling river swelled by the autumn rains. A lone couple drifted down the trail; the lady carrying a basket in the crook of her elbow and occasionally pausing to pick fruit off the bustling branches of the hedges, while her companion chatted and laughed alongside her.

"And then, Muta pushed Toto – jacket and all – out of the boat!" Haru giggled to herself and plopped a few blackberries into the basket. "That'll be the last time Louise and Toto invite Muta along on a day cruise. To be honest, I was surprised that Muta had even been invited along, but then, he _is_ like an uncle to little Hino."

"Hm, and Toto and Muta do get along. In their own sort of way." Baron appeared behind Haru and slung one hand around her waist, picking a few blackberries from higher up and dropped them into Haru's basket. "So, what relation exactly is Hino to you? What's the official term?"

"Well, Louise and I are cousins, so I think she's my... first cousin once removed." Haru shrugged her shoulders happily. "I think I'll just go by Auntie Haru though." She grinned at the thought. "Heh, Auntie Haru; sounds cute."

"It's a role I'm sure you'll live up to."

She poked him in the ribs. "Don't laugh; I'm pretty sure that'll make you Uncle Humbert."

Baron sighed dramatically. "Poor child. She probably won't be able to pronounce Humbert. I expect it'll be 'Uncle Humble-bert' for a while yet."

Haru laughed again and leant against the Baron, a handful of berries cradled in her palm. Sighing contently, she ate a couple before offering a few to him. A peaceful silence passed between them, filled with the playful burble of the river below. Haru picked a few more blackberries from the surrounding branches, leaning against the Baron for support.

"So have you decided?"

"Hm?" Haru looked up at him, licking a little of the berry juice off her fingers. "Decided what?"

Baron stole one of the blackberries from her basket. "Why, what you're going to do with all these berries. Are you having cravings?" he teased.

"Actually," she noted, rolling her eyes with an exaggerated sigh, "I was thinking about making blackberry crumble. Sound good?"

"Sounds delicious, my dear." As they moved further along the pathway, he placed a quick kiss on the brunette's cheek. "Although, with all your activity in the kitchen, you're beginning to worry the staff."

"Hm?" she murmured. His little signs of affection he peppered every day with often had a habit of melting her heart – and consequently reducing her ability to think calmly and clearly. "And why would that worry them?"

"Well, I believe it's making them fret that you're going to dismiss them." He raised his eyebrows. "I hope you're _not_ going to dismiss the staff. Mrs Bell is a most excellent cook."

"But, of course, my cooking far excels Mrs Bell's," Haru teased.

"I think the correct response there is, 'Of course, my dear.'"

"Well, I can see I've taught you well." She patted his cheek endearingly, smoothly followed by the offering of another berry. "And don't worry. I have no plans of kicking out the staff. They're doing a fine job."

"So you're okay with them?"

Haru laughed. "Baron, if I had any problem with them, I would have brought up the issue a good twelve months ago." She patted his arm, but in a more assured manner this time. "No, I'm fine with them. I'm still getting accustomed to the idea of staff, but they do a good job. They're a nice lot." She paused, and added, "And very patient with my rather homey habits."

"You mean like taking over the kitchen to bake blackberry crumble?"

"If only _half_ the staff's stories are true, then I don't meddle anywhere as near as much as you." A few more berries were plucked off a branch laden heavy with fruit, and dropped neatly into the basket cradled in the crook of her arm. "Your fondness of making your own blend of tea is somewhat infamous among the household staff."

He shrugged easily. "Which is why I have now installed a personal kitchen area away from them to make my blends. One learns to adapt."

"One can only hope." Haru paused to examine her collection, weighing up the basket in her hands. "Do you think we have enough?"

"You're the expert cook."

The brunette gave him a withering look. "You're not cuisine-illiterate."

"Uh-huh," Baron replied in a non-committal note. He stole a berry from the basket.

Haru slapped his wrist with her spare hand. "Paws off. There's no way we'll have enough if you keep eating them all."

"May I remind you that I am not the only individual snacking on the fruits of our harvest? I do believe you've been putting on a bit of weight recently."

She smiled wanly. "I know, dear. But since I am going to be cooking the pudding, I get the say."

"You could always give the blackberries to Mrs Bell, and let her do the crumble."

Haru sighed, leaning back and looking up at Baron. "Yes, but I enjoy doing a little bit of cooking. Which reminds me, in a funny sort of roundabout way; you promised me a cup of your tea blend when we got back." She sighed again and moved away from him, starting back down the lane in the direction of the Gikkingen residence. Her home. "Oh, and the Morrigans are coming round tomorrow – you have warned Mrs Bell, haven't you?"

"Yes," assured Baron, shaking his head mock-tiredly. A few of his long strides ensured he had caught up with Haru quickly. "Honestly, don't you trust me? And I've warned the staff that Louise and Toto are bringing Hino along, so they'll be prepared for whatever fiascos the baby's presence brings."

The brunette shook her head good-naturedly and, with her free hand, took Baron's hand in her own. "You sound as if Hino is some fire-breathing dragon, not a three-month-old baby."

Baron chuckled. "No, I leave the fire-breathing dragon part to Lady DuBois."

"She'd win hands down."

The pair of them laughed and continued along the path, perfectly happily.

"Are you really so pessimistic about the idea of Hino coming?" Haru asked after a few casual moments had passed. "She's been round before."

"Yes, and the poor maid spent three hours scrubbing the sick off the dining room carpet."

"Babies aren't that bad," Haru defended. Again, she paused, and this time looked out across the river, her gaze becoming absorbed by the forest beyond. "Have you ever thought about it?" she suddenly asked.

Baron stepped up to her side, but didn't take her hand. "Thought about what?"

"You know. Starting up a family. That business."

He tilted his head in a half-shrug. "Thought about it. Why? Does the idea of motherhood appeal to you?"

Haru sighed and shook her head, abruptly starting once more down the path. "It was just a sudden thought. I expect Hino won't be getting a distant cousin for a while yet."

Baron smiled to himself as he watched the young woman drift back in the direction of home. "Maybe it'll be sooner than you think," he murmured, but only for his own ears to catch.

Haru must have heard something, because she turned back around to face him. "Sorry? What was that?"

Should he tell her? But, then again, it was only a vague hunch, a mild inkling. Perhaps he was wrong.

He shook his head, smiling. "Nothing. Come on, let's get home and have that tea. Before you eat all the blackberries and make us come out again to pick more."

Laughing, they set off along the familiar overgrown path, chatting, smiling, and occasionally flicking blackberries at one another. The evening was drawing close and the brisk autumnal wind whipped around the couple, tugging insistently at Haru's practically – but all the same, unladylike – tied hair, neatly kept together in a long ponytail falling down around her back. The brunette raised her left hand to keep her hair out of her face and the simple slim gold band of a ring caught the weak October sunlight. For a moment it sparkled like molten gold before settling back into a simmering honey hue.

She almost had to laugh at that moment.

Her; a baron's wife.

It was funny, really, how one lucky happenstance could change her life around.

_x_

"_Love is like a mirror. When you love another you become his mirror and he becomes you... And reflecting each other's love you see infinity."_

_~ Unknown._

**ooOoo**

**A/N: There was only really one main source of inspiration here – **_**The Prince and the Pauper**_**, by Mark Twain. Add in my usual dash of story manipulation, confusion and straight-up angst, and this happened. **

**Thanks to all you fantastic reviewers: _Ebony Mitsu, Rowena BaronErikandSnapelover, Nanenna, SideshowJazz1, phantomoftheknight17, kaitouahiru, E-man-dy-S, neko girl, TomTheBoy, AnimeCrazed121, LxiaNi, XoXKeii-ChanXoX, The-Right-Girl, Waterpokemon, dundeegirl21, Jith, Raye of the Sunshine, isara-love, inujisan, Kanellia, Cecily Mitchell, Suki-Alanna, CatGirlFireFlare_ and_ Solar_. As always, you guys are amazing and you keep us writers writing!**

**Next story's summary:**

_**Ten years later, Haru finds herself dragged back into the world of Creations, catastrophes, and one dapper-looking cat.**_

**This story will be posted on the 23rd August, due to scheduling issues concerning the Christmas Special, and the fact that I actually have a few chapters of the next story left to write. *sweatdrop* (And let's not even mention the unwritten Christmas Special...) I will say this though - the next story is something New. It's something I've never tried before and I'm relying on you lovely reviewers to tell me whether it works. So read, review, and enjoy. **

**Until then!**

**Cat.**


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